MET Gala History: From Fundraising Party to A-List Extravaganza, Here’s How the Fashion World’s Biggest Night Came To Be

The MET Gala event takes place on the first Monday of May every year. This year too, the MET Gala 2024 is all set to take place on May 6, the first Monday in May 2024. The Met Gala, a dazzling fusion of fashion, celebrities, and cultural extravaganza, has become a top-tier event in the world of fashion and style. The elite, the industry A-listers, and the ‘who’s who’ of the fashion industry attend the event every year. But while scrolling through Instagram, did you ever stop to wonder how the MET Gala started? Was this fabulous fiesta always such an extravagant event fit for royalty? Well, no, the MET Gala was not always an extravagant event. So how did it start, then? Let’s go back in time to history and learn how the MET Gala started. Sudha Reddy at Met Gala 2024: Indian Philanthropist and Businesswoman All Set To Return to Met Gala After Dazzling Debut in 2021, Enlists Two Renowned Designers for Her Ensemble.

MET Gala: The Beginning

The Met Gala's glitz and glam began with a much humbler mission. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was in need of a financial boost. In 1948, fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert came up with the idea of a fundraising dinner to support the Costume Institute's exhibit and celebrate American fashion's rise after WWII. This intimate, industry-only event, costing just 50 dollars to attend at the time, was the seed of what would blossom into the ‘Party of the Year.’ This is how the MET Gala was born! But the early days of the event were not so big and dramatic. They were a far cry from the star-studded soirée we follow, know and love today. It started off as a quiet, modest, and low-key event meant only for industry people. However, with time it became popular, bolder, bigger, grander and the extravagant event as we know it today. Today, the MET Gala is a huge event with celebrities and stars dressing up around a chosen theme in jaw-dropping couture.

From Fundraiser to Fashion Extravaganza: The Rise of the Themed MET Gala

The Met Gala wasn't always the fashion extravaganza it is today! In the 1970s, Diana Vreeland, a fashion editor, joined the crew. She brought amazing themes (think costumes) and invited actors, models, and even famous designers to the event! This turned the Met Gala from a fancy dinner party to the star-studded fashion event we know and love. Later, fashion icon and Vogue Editor, Anna Wintour, took the reins and made sure the guest list stayed super glamorous. That's how the Met Gala became the ‘Party of the Year’ with epic outfits that turn heads every year! Met Gala 2024: Where and How To Watch The Biggest Star-Studded Fashion Event Live.

As we all know by now, the MET Gala is not just a star-studded event for celebrity, designer and clothing promotion. It's also a huge fundraiser for the Met's Costume Institute, keeping their amazing fashion exhibits going all year. Every year, the Gala has a fun theme, inspiring celebrities to wear jaw-dropping outfits that pay tribute to fashion history or push boundaries. It's a night for designers to flaunt their talent; for fashion enthusiasts to get excited, and for everyone to be dazzled by the creativity. With that being said, we can't wait to see what unfolds at the Met Gala 2024!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 03, 2024 01:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).