Met Gala 2018: Everything you need to know

4 May 2018

By Fashion Quarterly

Read on for all the details surrounding fashion’s biggest night of the year.

Dubbed the “Super Bowl of Fashion” by Vogue‘s former editor-at-large André Leon Talley, the 2018 Met Gala is now less than a week away. As the stars begin to prep for one of the most glamorous nights of the year, we thought we’d do our own prep to ensure everyone’s up to date with all the facts, themes and antics surrounding the Gala.

So, what is the Met Gala exactly?

For those of you who are new to the concept, the Costume Institute Gala at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (also known as the Met Gala) is one of the biggest fundraising events on the fashion calendar. First held in 1948 by Eleanor Lambert, the Gala was created in order to encourage New York’s elite to donate money to the Met’s Costume Institute while simultaneously celebrating the opening of the Costume Institute’s latest exhibit. Fast forward 70 years and the Met Gala has evolved to include a range of famous faces from the film, music, art and fashion industries. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has been chair of the event since 1995 and enlists a selection of different public figures to serve as co-chairs each year. Past co-chairs include Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Marc Jacobs.

When is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala always takes place on the first Monday in May, with this year’s date being 7 May in the US (which will be 8 May here in New Zealand due to the difference in time zones).

Where is the Met Gala?

Taking place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, this year’s event will be spread across three venues including the Anna Wintour Costume Centre, the medieval galleries at the Met Gala and the Met Cloisters.

How much is a ticket to the Met Gala?

According to Vogue, tickets to the Met Gala cost around $25,000 a ticket, with tables going for $275,000. All the money in the world doesn’t mean guaranteed entry however, with Wintour having the final say on the guest list. Last year’s attendance numbers were close to 600 with Forbes reporting the event raised over $12 million USD.

What is the Met Gala theme this year?

The 2018 Met Gala also happens to be the 70th anniversary of the event, so celebrations are guaranteed to be big. This year’s theme is Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination with an exhibition that includes 40 Vatican vestments alongside displays from designers like Coco Chanel. The religious theme has been slightly controversial already, with curator Andrew Bolton defending the theme stating that “dress is central to any discussion about religion”. Either way, we’re curious to see all the interpretations that are bound to make it onto the red carpet. We’re hedging our bets that someone will don bejewelled crosses as seen on the Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2018 runway.

Who are the 2018 selected co-chairs?

Amal Clooney, Rihanna and Donatella Versace.

WATCH: Katy Perry arriving at the 2017 Met Gala wearing a Margiela dress:

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What can you expect from the fashion this year?

Historically the Met Gala has always supplied a red-carpet packed full of awe-inspiring outfits and one-off pieces and no doubt this year will be the same. Last year’s theme, Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art of In-Between, saw an increase of the avant-garde on the red-carpet while 2018 looks to provide a range of ensembles encompassing some form of religious symbolism. Either way, The Met Gala has gifted the world with many iconic outfits over the years. And if the reports around Blake Lively’s 2018 dress is anything to go off, we’re sure to be impressed again this year.

…Anything else noteworthy?

It’s a given that when you host a wide range of celebrities, antics will ensue. Highlights last year included The Met Gala bathroom photo antics with celebrities providing a range of entertainment and insider information on the night via Instagram stories and Snapchat.