Met Gala 2021: Theme, Hosts, Who's Attending and More
Vegan meals? TikTok influencers? Is this really the Met Gala? Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka and Amanda Gorman co-chair the 2021 Met Gala on Sept. 13, but with a few twists
By Samantha Bergeson ••
Lady Gaga might have been the modern Queen of Camp even before the 2019 Met Gala, but other stars like Billy Porter, Jared Leto and Celine Dion gave the “Monster” singer a run for her money with their outfits.
Famed for being fashion's biggest night, the annual Met Gala returns with a star-studded roster of hosts and invitees after being canceled last year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Now that it's back, the event has been adjusted to reflect modern times.
Of course, fans can also look forward to the annual guessing game of which designers will have OMG moments on the red carpet.
The famous fashion-forward evening takes place on Monday, Sept. 13, to mark the opening of new exhibit "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" in the Anna Wintour Costume Center. Audiences can expect to tour a fictional American house, with each room featuring examples of 20th- and 21st-century fashion that reflects "the customs and behaviors of the imagined occupants" and focus on a different emotion, per the official release.
"Designs by pioneers of American sportswear will be displayed alongside works by a diverse group of contemporary designers," the press statement continued, "to illustrate a shifting emphasis in American fashion defined by feelings of fear, delight, comfort, anxiety, well-being, loneliness, happiness, belonging, self-reflection, and self-representation among other qualities."
So, what else do we know about the 2021 Met Gala so far? Let's just say there are plenty of shake-ups under way. See how the Met Gala is new and improved after a year away:
Love... not coronavirus... was in the air this time last year for the 2019 Met Gala. From Kim Kardashian and Kanye West to Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez and everyone in between, these Hollywood power pairs who left our jaws on the floor at the 2019 Met Gala. There may not be a 2020 Met Gala because of the pandemic, but we can look back on these couples who took our breaths away in 2019
Who's Hosting the 2021 Met Gala?
Get ready for the next generation of fashion stars. Oscar nominee and Internet boyfriendTimothée Chalamet will act as Met Gala co-chair, along with Grammy winner Billie Eilish, tennis pro Naomi Osaka and poet Amanda Gorman.
"Each of the Met's four co-hosts embodies the defining factor of American style: individualism," Vogue stated in a May announcement, citing that each star has "developed a distinct visual language for their public personas, one that is informed by the legacy of iconic fashion made in the USA."
This under-30 round-up of influencers, ranging from sports to film to music and even literature, embodies the new push for a younger demographic and a reminder that the Met Gala is always relevant. We didn't need an "Ocean's 8" heist to tell us that.
Who's Invited?
Well, we can only make some educated guesses (Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna), but the Met Gala invite list is also rumored to be taking a cue from its co-chairs and leaning in to the Gen Z population. Per a jaw-dropping insider leak to Page Six on Aug. 14, influencers like TikTok star Addison Rae and YouTuber Emma Chamberlain are expected to grace the red carpet. However, Andy Cohen confirmed that he and his "date," BFF Sarah Jessica Parker are opting out of the event this year, while former chairs Tom Brady and Harry Styles also have prior commitments. Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL game schedule conflicts with the Sept. 13 Met Gala, and Styles will be performing at the Houston Toyota Center in Texas.
COVID-19 Precautions
Every guest will be required to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask indoors while attending the Met Gala, according to a spokesperson for the Met.
What is this year's dress code theme?
The official dress code this year is “American Independence,” which leaves plenty of wiggle room for interpretation. Vogue says expect everything "from flashy star-spangled outfits to classic gowns made by American designers."
What is the Met Costume Institute Exhibit and when does it open?
The Met Costume Institute's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" series kicks off with "A Lexicon of Fashion," opening Sept. 18 at the Anna Wintour Costume Center and marking the Costume Institute's 75th anniversary. The exhibit will be constructed as a home, with each room set to a different emotive theme surrounding fashion. "Well-Being" is the title for the kitchen, and the living room is labelled "Trust."
"Traditionally, American fashion has been described in terms of the American tenets of simplicity, practicality, and functionality," head curator Andrew Bolton told Vogue in May. "In part one we'll be reconsidering this perception by reestablishing a modern lexicon of fashion based on the emotional qualities of dress. I've been really impressed by American designers' responses to the social and political climate, particularly around issues of body inclusivity and gender fluidity, and I'm just finding their work very, very self-reflective. I really do believe that American fashion is undergoing a renaissance."
The second installment of the exhibition, "An Anthology of Fashion," will open May 5, 2022.
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The theme of the 2022 Met Gala was “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” Host Blake Lively made several best dressed lists, as did fashion favorites Gigi Hadid and Carbi B.
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Among the famous actors, musicians, and fasion icons, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez managed to stand out at the 2021 Met Gala. Her “tax the rich” gown made headlines, but didn’t steal the entire show. Big choices for the “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” theme were made by Iman and Lil Nas X, who each shined in their own way.
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Who could forget the iconic Lady Gaga entrance at the 2019 Met Gala. Dressed for “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” the acclaimed singer surprised us all with numerous changes on the red carpet. But the NYC native wasn’t the only celebrity turning heads. Zendaya wowed in a Cinderella-inspired look, including a miniature carriage. Jared Leto, on the other hand, brought a head look-a-like.
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The 2018 Met gala had a divine theme with “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” Guests like Madonna, in Jean Paul Gaultier, and Rhianna, donning a Pope-inspired ensemble by Maison Margiela that included a papal mitre, rose to the occasion in their looks. Miley Cyrus may have missed the memo on “heavenly” because her backless Stella McCartney dress was positively sinful.
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Claire Danes lit up the red carpet, literally, at the 2016 "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" exhibition benefit in a one-of-a-kind Zac Posen gown crafted from organza and fiber optics. The "Homeland" actress looked like an intergalactic Cinderella in the high-tech garment.
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"Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," brought plenty of silver and metallics to the steps of the Metropolitan Museum. The Costume Institute's spring 2016 exhibition explored how fashion designers are reconciling the handmade and the machine-made in the creation of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear. And though most celebs interpreted that to mean metals, silver, and sequin embellishment, others — like model Rosie Huntington-Whitely, left, in Ralph Lauren, comedian Amy Schumer, center, in Alexander Wang, and model Emily Ratajkowski — appeared to ignore the theme altogether.
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Rihanna was one of the few celebrities to wear a creation by a Chinese designer for 2015's "China: Through The Looking Glass" theme. Guo Pei’s imperial yellow, fur-trimmed cape that was embroidered with scrolls and scrolls (and scrolls) of flora, shut down the red carpet at the Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City.
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Jennifer Lopez, left, fused the "China: Through The Looking Glass" theme in an Atelier Versace illusion gown that depicted a red dragon embroidered around her body in ruby crystals. Justin Bieber, center, wore a custom Balmain dragon-embroidered blazer. On the right, Kristen Wiig's flowing chiffon Prabal Gurung number may have embraced the color scheme, but the dress was more Grecian than Chinese.
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Charles James designed sumptuous, structured gowns with a mathematical approach and innovative tailoring. Designer Zac Posen dressed both Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, left, and model Liu Wen, center, in elaborately constructed dresses for 2014's theme of "Charles James: Beyond Fashion." Influences of James can been seen in the gravity-defying folds of fabric in Wen’s gown, and Von Teese’s heavily tailored mermaid dress. Kristen Stewart’s loose-fitting Chanel dress is just "beyond fashion" and not at all inspired by James' work.
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The "Punk: Chaos to Couture" theme for the 2013 Met Gala focused on the origins of the punk movement and how the style has influenced couture and ready-to-wear over the years. From the studded Burberry gown to her sharp pendants, model Cara Delevingne, left, oozed punk. As did Polish model Anja Rubik, center, who rocked an Anthony Vaccarello red leather mini featuring an asymmetric chain-mail cut-out panel. Sports Illustrated model Kate Upton appeared to have ignored the punk dress code, donning a bright green Diane Von Furstenberg dress. However, she made a slight reference to the era with a backcombed hairdo.
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Kim Kardashian, pictured with husband Kanye West, turned heads in a memorable Riccardo Tisci flowered gown at the Costume Institute Gala for the "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" exhibition at the Met. Though Tisci defended the look, saying she was "the most beautiful pregnant woman I dressed in my career,” critics noted that pink flowers aren't very "punk."
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In 2013, the "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" exhibition pointed out the similarities in the imaginative designs of Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, two Italian women who challenged conventional notions of beauty and chic, focusing on seven themes. Camille Belle's Ralph Lauren number reflected "The Classical Body," which explores the designers' influence of old world glamour in their gowns. In the center, Beyoncé's Givenchy gown represented the designers' use of detailed embellishment in the "Waist Up/Waist Down" theme. Designer Marc Jacobs turned heads on the red carpet with a long black lace tunic by Commes des Garçons over a pair of white boxer shorts and pilgrim shoes because “I just didn't want to wear a tuxedo and be boring.”
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The 2008 Met Gala "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" theme looked at how designers drew inspiration from superhero costumes, such as the cape on Amber Valeta's Versace gown, center, or the Wonder Woman-esque red corset Christina Ricci, left, rocked under her pink chiffon Givenchy dress. Gisele Bundchen, right, may have looked super stunning in her backless pink Versace gown, but the look was a superhero fail.
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Paul Poiret was a pioneer in modern fashion, doing away with the corset and embracing the notion of personal style. He was among the first to use draping in dressmaking and he had no problem putting pants on women. At the 2007 Met Gala themed "Poiret: King of Fashion," Gisele Bundchen, left, and Iman, center with husband David Bowie, elegantly interpreted Poiret's progressive style. Renee Zellweger, right, chose a tight-fitting Carolina Herrera, a silhouette Poiret worked to liberate women from.
What's On the Menu?
First fur-less, now meatless.
Red Rooster chef Marcus Samuelsson takes over the kitchen with a special plant-based menu, helmed by an international array of 10 elite chefs including Junghyun Park, Erik Ramirez, Nasim Alikhani, Emma Bengtsson and pastry chef Thomas Raquel.
The entirely vegan event is slated as a collaborative "summertime picnic" menu of canapés, entrées and desserts, as reported by Bon Appétit, with foodies able to follow the meal prep on Instagram Reels under hashtag #MetGalaChefs.
"We want to tell the world that we're back—New York City as a place to gather and celebrate is back," Samuelsson exclusively told the outlet. "We're telling both New Yorkers and outsiders that New York is open for business. [These chefs] represent what the food scene in New York today looks like, what the next generation of food looks like, tastes like, where it lives."
The push for veganism also fits with the Met Costume Institute exhibit, "In America: An Anthology of Fashion," to showcase "how food is changing in America," as Samuelsson explained. "We want to be the future of American food, of plant-based food. That conversation is happening now."
