However, it wasn’t always the star-studded and dramatic costume-filled night it is now. It first started off as a charity event created by publicist Eleanor Lambert to raise funds for the then-newly founded Costume Institute.
The event took a cultural shift when Diana Vreeland was tapped as a consultant for the Costume Institute, changing the venue of the Met Gala to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and adding gala themes.
Now, Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour oversees the benefit, guest list and theme, working closely with the Met each year for the event. She also is said to even approve what designers the high-profile guests wear, and rejecting a table sponsor’s chosen guests in favor of others.
Here, WWD breaks down all you need to know about the history of the Met Gala, including information about the 2025 soirée.
How did the Met Gala start?
The 1981 Met Gala.
The Met Gala was founded in 1948 by Lambert, a renowned fashion publicist, as a means to fundraise for the Costume Institute and mark the opening of its annual exhibit. Lambert is also known for being
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