If you’ve seen the looks from the MET Gala 2021, or for that matter any year, you’d want to know why do celebrities wear such ‘weird’ outfits.

Vogue

Unlike any other fashion show, the MET Gala is quite extravagant. Also known as the fashion world equivalent of the Oscars, the event always surprises us with its themes and outfits.

There’s a history behind it. The event derives its name from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala.

It’s essentially an opening-night party and fundraiser for an annual fashion exhibit curated by the Costume Institute, the museum’s fashion department.

The red carpet event that we look forward to is the party. Every year, there’s a theme for the clothes featured in the museum exhibit, which is also the dress code for the party.

From a fashion perspective, it is a chance for designers to work closely with celebrities on outfits, and they are generally encouraged to dress innovatively rather than playing safe.

Therefore, designers come up with unconventional and unique outfits that stand out.

vmagazine

Most of the time, the exhibits pay tribute to talented designers from the past and the same is reflected in the outfits. The chosen theme tells a story or teaches something from the history.

Vogue

For example, the theme for the event in 2018 was ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’. It showcased hundreds of holy items from the Vatican.

While Rihanna dressed as a Pope, Katy Perry showcased an angel with wings and all for the MET Gala 2018.

Earlier in 2015, the theme for the MET Gala was ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’. It celebrated China’s influence on Western and Eastern design.

Here’s a few looks from 2015.

The Cut
The Cut

The theme of the MET 2019 was ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’. 

And no, it did not mean camps as sleeping bags and tents but camp as in exaggerated fashion.

After seeing the outfits, are you wondering what was this year’s Met Gala theme? It’s ‘American Independence’.

The theme will be exhibited in 2 parts. The first part: In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, is what opened recently.

Vogue

If celebrities are invited to the MET Gala by a brand, the unspoken rule is that they have to wear clothes from that brand.

Moreover, not everyone gets an invite to the event. The world’s best achievers in all the spheres of music, film, Broadway, and fashion are eligible for the invitation. The list of guests and hosts apparently changes each year.

Celebrities who get invited to the MET, are expected to deliver on their costume/outfit as per the theme.