what is the met gala

The Met Gala, also known as the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute in New York City. It is widely regarded as the worlds most prestigious and glamorous fashion event and social gathering, and an invitation is highly sought after. The first gala was established in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as a fundraiser for the newly founded Costume Institute to mark the opening of its annual exhibit. Over the first few decades of its existence, the Gala was simply one of many annual benefits held for New York charitable institutions. However, it has since become one of the most prominent and exclusive social events in the world, as well as one of the biggest fundraising nights in New York City. The Met Gala is widely considered among the leading and most influential social events in the world, and it is also one of the most important fundraising nights in New York City, with total contributions surpassing $200 million for the first time after the 2019 event. The event is an opening celebration of the Institutes annual fashion exhibit where professionals from all fields come together to build connections and showcase their work. Although the event is just held for an evening, the exhibit is showcased for several months after. The Met Gala is known as the Red Carpet Event for the Fashion World, and every theme that is chosen for the event portrays a period of fashion, bringing back the trends, and also setting trends. The Met Gala usually hosts around 600 attendees, including stars, young creatives, and industry paragons each year. The event raises eight-figure sums, and tickets cost around $35,000 each, with tables ranging from $200,000 to $300,000.