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What is the Met Gala?
The Met Gala, formally known as the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraising gala held in New York City to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. It was formed in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert to generate funds for the newly-created Costume Institute and to commemorate the opening of the institute's annual exhibit. Each year's event honors the theme of the current Costume Institute exhibition, and all guests are expected to dress accordingly.
Met Gala 2021 Theme: Explained
This year’s Met Gala was held on Monday, September 13, 2021 with the theme: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” It honors the 75th anniversary of the Costume Institute and celebrates modern American fashion. Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute's Curator in Charge, felt it was time to look back at American identity and fashion in particular, as it has transformed significantly in recent years as a result of political and social justice movements. “I really do believe that American fashion is undergoing a renaissance. I think young designers, in particular, are at the vanguard of discussions about diversity and inclusion, as well as sustainability and transparency, much more so than their European counterparts, maybe except for the English designers.”, stated Bolton.
Memorable Moments (The Controversial, The Inspiring, and The Overlooked)
AOC’s “Tax the Rich” & Cara Delevingne’s “Peg the Patriarchy”
With the words "Tax the Rich" scribbled on her pristine white dress, celebrity politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stole the show at the Met Gala. Some felt that AOC was mocking progressive ideals by showing up at the Met Gala, a luxurious display of outrageous wealth and privilege, wearing a half-hearted leftist statement that no one would pay serious attention to. They also mentioned the exorbitant price of a Met Gala ticket, in addition to the cost of her own gown. In Ocasio-Cortez’s defense, supporters pointed out that Google analytics showed an increase of searches related to "tax the rich", implying that AOC had conveyed a positive, straightforward message simply by attending this lavish party. The New York lawmaker, who is a major House progressive, was delighted to clear the air. On Instagram, Ocasio-Cortez commented, "The medium is the message. NYC elected officials are regularly invited to and attend the Met due to our responsibilities in overseeing our city’s cultural institutions that serve the public. I was one of several in attendance. Dress is borrowed."
Actress Cara Delevinge also displayed a statement outfit which was met with controversy: a white Dior bulletproof vest, adorned with a bold red message: "Peg the Patriarchy’. The vest was designed by Dior designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, who also created the "We Should All Be Feminists" shirt for Dior's spring 2017 collection. However, Luna Matatas—an independent artist, sex educator, and queer woman of color—claims that the tagline "Peg the Patriarchy" was stolen directly from her clothing line. "Then I realized how impactful it is to have your art shared without credit to you. Especially in communities with more power and influence, and on white cis bodies," she said. "It would've been so easy to credit me and to lift each other up through the message of dismantling patriarchy... As a queer woman of color, I thrive in a community with people of all genders committed to fighting patriarchy."
Quannah Chasinghorse and Native American Representation
Quannah Chasinghorse, an indigenous model and activist, attracted a lot of attention at the 2021 Met Gala as well. Wearing a Navajo turquoise necklace and silver jewelry and proudly displaying her traditional tattoos, the Native model paid homage to her Indigenous American background. “It was amazing to be able to be there and represent Indigenous people,” says Chasinghorse. “Before I got to the Met, I was listening to Native music and artists to help me feel more empowered, and I was extremely excited to show the world the beauty of native indigenity.” Chasinghorse also mentioned how important it is to represent and bring authentic American culture to this year’s theme, especially since Native American culture has been appropriated and misrepresented in fashion on multiple occasions. She was dressed by Peter Dundas for the gala evening, who took interest in her after seeing her in various magazine editorials.
BLM Protesters Arrested Outside the Met Gala
While celebrities strutted through the lavishly decorated Met, a gathering of Black Lives Matter protesters assembled outside the gala. Around 6 p.m. on September 13, police supervising the peaceful protest issued a warning to the protesters to clear the streets. Shortly thereafter, they arrested protestors who failed to comply with said warning. While it is unclear how many of the protesters were detained by police, photographs and videos uploaded to social media showed officers throwing people to the ground and handcuffing them with zip ties. According to a leaflet distributed at the event, the protest was organized by an “autonomous group of NYC abolitionists who believe that policing does not protect and serve communities.” “The NYPD has a total financial allocation of $11 billion per year,” the flyer read. “This money goes towards racist policing that destroys Black and brown communities while people who are struggling do not get the resources they need. CARE, not COPS, is the answer.”
Sources:
I. What is the Met Gala?
https://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/now-at-the-met/2020/met-gala-costume-institute-benefit-brief-history
II. Met Gala 2021 Theme
III. Lack of Native American Representation
IV. AOC “Tax the Rich” & Cara Delevingne “Peg the Patriarchy”
V. BLM Protest
Published November 29, 2021
Written by Skye Cabrera ~ Edited by Sasha Thomas ~ Graphics created by Tanya Gu
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