The Met Gala Unveils Its Next Theme—Along with a Two-Part Return

Published Apr 12, 2021

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7:43pm

All you fashionistas, grab your blue jeans and white tees, because the Met Gala is focusing on its American roots with its next theme.

We couldn't be more thrilled because the Met Gala, a yearly fundraiser celebrating the Met Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit, will be returning after its cancellation last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. And we've been missing this lavish exhibit of dramatic and sometimes ridiculous haute couture.

Centered on the theme, "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," the Costume Institute will be doing a two-part exhibition taking place this September and next May.

The announcement was made on Instagram, where the Met wrote, "Opening on September 18, 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion'—the first in a two-part survey of American fashion—will explore a modern vocabulary of American style emphasizing the expressive qualities of dress and deeper associations with issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.⁣⁣⁣"

The exhibits will be open in two different sections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art throughout 2021 and 2022. The museum said, "Part two of the survey, 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion,' will open in the @metamericanwing period rooms on May 5, 2022, and present narratives that explore the development of American fashion as they relate to the complex and layered histories of those spaces. Parts one and two will close on September 5, 2022.⁣⁣⁣"

Met curator Andrew Bolton, explained the reasoning behind the theme, telling Vogue, "The main one was the fact that the American fashion community has been supporting us for 75 years, really since the beginning of the Costume Institute, so I wanted to acknowledge its support, and also to celebrate and reflect upon American fashion."

The Met Gala, which is one of the biggest fundraising events in the city of New York, raised nearly $15 million back in 2019. A ticket for the exclusive occasion costs about $30K according to The New York Times, while the guest list is usually limited to around 700 high-profile invitees. Due to pending government guidelines, the event will probably be stripped back this fall to coincide with New York Fashion Week, and then it will return to its regular May slot in 2022.

We're excited to see what our fave celebs will wear this time around.

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Joel Calfee

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Joel is the former Associate Editor for News & Entertainment and has been reporting on all things pop culture for over 5 years. Before working at PureWow, he served as a Features Editor at ROCKET Magazine. When he's not dissecting the latest trends in entertainment (or guiding you on what to watch), he covers all the hottest red carpet looks and fashion movements. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him at an NYC concert, thrift store or LGBTQ+ bookstore happily perusing the shelves.

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