Since 1948 the historic Met Gala has been a way to showcase fashion through some of the world’s most influential people. This year has been no exception to the tradition. After having to cancel the 2020 Met Gala due to COVID concerns, the Met Gala is back with this year’s theme,“In America: A Lexicon.” 

“The main one [reason] was the fact that the American fashion community has been supporting us for 75 years, really since the beginning of the Costume Institute,” said Andrew Bolton, the curator of the Costume Institute. “I wanted to acknowledge its support, and also to celebrate and reflect upon American fashion.”

This theme’s goal is to acknowledge political, cultural, and social events from throughout the pandemic. In light of COVID, the Met Gala is choosing to have a smaller guest list than they have had in previous years. A reduced guest list is not the only thing changing this year, the Met Gala typically takes place on the first Monday of May, but due to COVID guidelines this year’s event was postponed until September 18. 

Since the beginning, the Met Gala has been a must see fashion influence. Throughout the years the Met Gala has seen guests such as Oprah, Elon Musk, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Princess Dianna, and many more popular celebrities and public figures. 

It is unknown who has been selected to attend this year’s event, but it has been confirmed that the Met Gala is being hosted by co-chairs Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, Timothée Chalamet, and Naomi Osaka. These young celebrities are expected to widen the Gala’s audience. The Met Gala has been organised and and presided by Anna Wintour since 1995. Anna Wintour is the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, and has been since 1988. Wintour oversees the guest list and the benefit committee for the Met Gala. 

The Met Gala is not only a way to showcase fashion, but is also a fundraiser. The charity ball raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. In 2019 the Met Gala raised more that $13 million for the Costume Institute, making it the only self funded branch at the Met. Throughout her career with the Met Gala, Anna Wintour has raised over $186 million dollars. The Costume Institute serves as a time capsule of decades worth of fashion, collecting over 36,000 items. 

The Met Gala has been an important part of the fashion industry for decades, and this year is no different. Due to its modern political themes and young influential hosts, the 2021 Met Gala has immense potential to create a gala that will be talked about for years among many generations to come. For more information regarding the Met Gala, you can visit Vogue’s official website.