The Metropolitan Museum of Art held its annual MET Gala on Sept. 13, and students are sharing their thoughts on this popular event.
This year’s co-chairs were actor Timothée Chalamet, musician Billie Eilish, poet Amanda Gorman, and tennis player Naomi Osaka. The theme this year was “American Independence,” which was meant to celebrate the evolution of American fashion and how far it has come in championing sustainability, diversity, and inclusion.
Multiple students shared that they liked this year’s theme.
“I thought it was really interesting how they were trying to imitate the direction America’s going in and the style in America today,” Annamarie Anton, a junior English major, said.
Ellen Paul, a senior communications arts and English major, agreed with Anton as she said she also liked this year’s theme.
“I thought it was a good theme to unify people, and it’s also tying into next year because this year was a lexicon of fashion, and next year’s theme is an anthology of fashion, which I think is pretty cool,” Paul said.
However, after looking at the outfits worn to this year’s event, Paul said she did not think many attendees followed the theme.
“This is a time when you can go all out and really go crazy, and people tended not to do that,” Paul said.
Hannah Perkowsky, a junior elementary education major, had a different view of the outfits.
“I was definitely expecting them to be very outlandish and kind of crazy,” Perkowsky said. “I definitely got what I expected, and I feel like that’s what the MET Gala is about because you never know what to expect, and you never go expecting a simple outfit.”
Both Paul and Perkowsky said they disliked Kim Kardashian’s outfit and ranked it as their least favorite.
“She was just wearing an all-black dress and then an all-black bathing suit, and you couldn’t even tell it was her,” Paul said.
“Maybe it had a deeper meaning, but it didn’t really seem to have anything to do with American fashion,” Perkowsky said. “I understand her motive because she wanted to look silhouette-ish, but it didn’t make any sense.”
Anton said that she felt Billie Eilish was best dressed, adding that she looked “pretty classy.”
Paul said her favorite this year was Lupita Nyong’o’s denim dress.
“I really liked hers because I felt like it did fit the theme,” Paul said. “I think it looks good, and I can see how it fits into the theme of American fashion.”
This year, the MET Gala had strict COVID-19 protocols; everyone who attended was required to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask. Students had mixed reactions to the protocols.
“I think that if there are such strict precautions, it might’ve been better not to have it at all,” Anton said.
Paul, on the other hand, said she was glad that the event was held this year and approved the requirements.
“Everyone else is required to follow those requirements, so I don’t see a reason why they should not for an event like this,” Paul said.
Perkowsky also said she was happy the MET Gala was held this year.
“I like that there are events this year because I think we are getting back to a new normal,” Perkowsky said.
Rebecca Amrick can be reached at rebecca.amrick@student.shu.edu
