Met Gala 2022: New South Asian Looks, Familiar Problems
Celebrities including Simone Ashley, Riz Ahmed, Mindy Kaling, and Prabal Gurung walked the red carpet. But industry insiders say that the annual fundraiser isn’t as glamorous as it might seem.
Monday just got fashionable again — well, the first Monday in May at least.
On Monday, May 2, 2022, the Costume Institute Benefit, better known as the Met Gala, returned to its sacred spot on the calendar for what is widely considered “fashion’s biggest night.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art canceled the glamorous event, which raises funds for its Costume Institute, in 2020 and delayed it in 2021 until September 12 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the Met Gala once again brought out major stars — including Riz Ahmed, Mindy Kaling, and woman of the moment, Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley — and the fashion designers who dress them, such as Prabal Gurung.
On the surface, the annual gala is an extremely successful fundraiser that has raised nearly $200 million for The Met’s Costume Institute since 1948. Since Anna Wintour became the chairwoman in 1995, the Met Gala has turned into a hot ticket for A-list celebrities, business moguls, athletes, and influencers, each climbing the Met’s Grand Staircase-turned-runway, hoping to reach a new level of notoriety by the top. In theory, the Met Gala showcases the year’s “it” crowd — with the invite doubling as a sort of status symbol — but industry insiders say that there’s more to this event than meets the eye.