WILL THE MET GALA LOSE ITS RELEVANCY IN THE NEW GILDED AGE?
As the gap between the wealthy invitees and those who cannot even afford to pay attention grows - how long until the general public loses interest
First Monday in May. New York City. Those words are enough to set the scene.
What started in 1948 as a dinner with the goal to raise funds meant to support The Costume Institute and celebrate the opening of the annual exhibition slowly became one of the biggest - if not THE biggest - nights for fashion.
In the last 10 to 15 years especially, as the cult of celebrity becomes more prevalent and inescapable the interest in who is invited, and even more who is not, what was worn, and who understood the theme increased.
But as the gap between the wealthy invitees and those who cannot even afford to pay attention grows, a question arises. How long until the general public loses interest in the event altogether?
We are witnessing the start of, what some describe as, the new gilded age which may be one of the reasons this year’s MET ball dress code required its guest to dress in fashion inspired by the end of the 19th century.
Many parallels between today and over 150 years ago can be drawn. Today’s exponential growth of technological advances is just as hard to comprehend as it must have been to suddenly see cars as a possible mode of transportation. To connect with people on opposite sides of the world is now easier than ever thanks to the internet, just like railroads connected opposite sides of countries and continents - making travel, trade, and the spread of information the fastest it had been at that point.
Prosperity always seems to come at a price. While some enjoyed never before seen wealth, unfortunately, that was not the reality for most.
Few were standing tall on the shoulders and backs of the working class, being carried around by labor exploitation, picking up bills from the money trees and making sure none of the wealth trickled down or fell into the hands of those who made them bloom in the first place.
Similarities with the world we live in today are striking. The gap between the richest and the poorest ones in our communities is growing at an increasing rate.
Putting it into numbers to get a better picture of how history repeats itself, wages for the top 1.0% and top 0.1% skyrocketed by 179.3% and 389.1%, respectively, while those for the bottom 90% grew just 28.2%.
When times are hard and uncertain it is only natural for the need for any kind of escapism to grow. That is where events like the MET gala are able to shine and provide much-needed entertainment. What makes the gala so recognizable and mesmerizing is its themes tied to the annual exhibition.
However, the aspect of the ball that made it stand out in the first place is now fading. One would hope such an event wouldn’t be tarnished by politics and behind the scene games, but money plays too big of a role for that not to happen.
Just as at the end of the 1800s, those whose finances allow them to, can show their creations on the famous museum steps - pay and be seen, no matter what you stand for.
Playing it safe, designers’ hands are tied in some of the cases and the carpet becomes saturated with looks you would see at any award show, which defeats the whole purpose of the theme and excitement around the MET gala.
Trying to bring the spotlight back on the event by inviting influencers, social media stars and the most talked about celebrities doesn’t seem to have the effect everyone had hoped for. The absence of those who were a part of the ball’s most iconic moments is felt and the interest slowly fades away.
When the beauty is subtracted from the equation, what is left is just another display of the wealth without any benefits for those who are witnessing it.
Times of economic uncertainty are breeding grounds for all the pent-up dissatisfaction to rise to the service. Seeing those who are lucky enough to be out of touch brings out more annoyance than interest, and the focus is swiftly put elsewhere, on the real-life issues that the majority has to deal with on a daily bases.
“Let them eat cake,” they say, handing us old deserts on rusting plates, and we are, slowly but surely, getting sick of them.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, means a lot!
For more fashion-related content make sure you follow @YOUWOREMEOUT on Instagram!