Ah yes, the Met Gala — one of the few events where the reviews and commentaries are more interesting than the event itself. Until a few years ago, these reviews were mostly endless chatter on which of the thin, attractive wealthy guests looked slightly less thin, attractive and wealthy. And while we still have the usual barrage of frenzied discourse about the event — ranging from Twitter memes about Lil Nas X’s C-3PO moment to detailed Vogue articles about the fashion — in recent years, much of it has become centered around what the guests actually believe and do.
The event itself is an unquestionable beacon of bourgeois pageantry. But if you can get past its elitism and increasingly questionable guest list — Addison Rae and Anna Wintour were breathing the same air in there — the Met Gala supplies fashion fantasy. Part of the reason for this is the event’s annual themes that guide the designs the guests wear — with this year’s being American Independence.
Inevitably, the very mention of the A-word brought everyone’s social justice pandering reflexes up, and the Met Gala was packed with political sentiments. From purses to breastplates to the backs of dresses, “woke” phrases — occasionally bordering on jumbles of activist buzzwords — saturated the event.
Although the garish letters and dramatic designs created initial excitement, critics immediately pointed out the performative hypocrisy of it all and the commodification of activism many of these celebrities’ outfits caused. After all, once these celebrities strip away their flashy activist slogans, many are still the same privileged 1% riding the newest trend wave.
While I acknowledge the tacky commodification of social justice issues for shock factor leaves a bad taste, we shouldn’t dismiss the benefits of the crossover of fashion and activism in one of America’s most privileged spheres.
For example, singer Billie Eilish’s custom Oscar De La Renta, a beautiful Old Hollywood princess gown, delivered a big win for animal rights — the brand committed to going fully fur-free to work with her.
Continuing the popularity of romantic dresses that night, YouTuber Nikkie de Jager — NikkieTutorials — used her elegant tulle number as a fashion tribute to trans icon and activist Marsha P. Johnson who was instrumental in the Stonewall Riots. Thus, paving the way for more LGBTQ+ representation and visibility for trans rights.
Arguably the most adherent to the theme, however, was model and advocate Quannah Chasinghorse’s look, which featured authentic Navajo jewelry as a celebration of her Native American ancestry. Just her presence alone was an incredible milestone in working towards more indigenous representation in the media.
And how could I forget the night’s most controversial guest and Boston University alumna, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
I’ll admit, a red “Tax the Rich” on your derriere in a room of the United States’ wealthiest may not be the most politically savvy move, and it creates more shock value than any real change. Not to mention, the dress itself looked like a bit of an art-project-on-mom’s-old-wedding-dress-gone-wrong situation.
That being said, AOC can hardly be accused of performative activism. I mean, she essentially drafted and proposed the entire Green New Deal, not to mention all her other progressive political work. Moreover, she did not utilize taxpayer funds to attend the gala, as she did not pay for her ticket. And, as a former bartender living off of tips, the very fact that she attended was inspiring and revolutionary enough.
The funny thing is, these aren’t even all the examples of how this year’s Met Gala attendees made huge political statements with their attire. Whether they were genuine or not, the tidal wave of calls to reform and issues being brought to light through fashion has contributed immensely to how we approach problems in our society. For once, the privileged members can not look away from the realities of America anymore.
So who cares if Cara Delevigne wore a sparkly “Peg the Patriarchy” bodice for one night and thought she solved sexism? What matters more is hundreds of the country’s giants — people who truly control our country — saw these outfits and realized they could no longer pretend oppression and injustice don’t exist. What matters is that millions of viewers from underrepresented communities saw representation and started believing that they too belong at galas and in the fabric of Italian designers.
If after all this you’ve let a few slogan-covered bullet-proof vests convince you that activism has fallen to corporate chaos, you’re missing the bigger picture of the Met: performative or not, activism’s entrance into mainstream Hollywood means the people on top have no choice but to pay attention. And for the people not, who are ultimately responsible for what appears in pop culture because they consume it, these issues and the fight to solve them have already entered their veins.
