How did the 2022 Met Gala theme portray influential messages through looks?
In 2022, at the famous Met Gala, celebrities like Blake Lively, Billie Eilish, and more stunned the crowd with their gilded age inspired fashion and powerful message of hope through them. It was a wonder to see a message such as that through fashion, how were they able to achieve doing so? Fashion is one of the biggest influences our world has today and many don’t realize the messages that are shown. When I looked at fashion, I used to only see pieces of material that came together to make something jaw-dropping or fashionable. While that is true, fashion can also spread messages ranging from positivity, awareness, politics, and more. It is at its best when all kinds of designers style celebrities or models who can show off the look and spread their own method of influential fashion.
Much of this influence was shown in the 2022 Met Gala, where the theme for the year was “Gilded Glamour.” This theme is important since it dates back to the gilded age in America during the late 1800s when the industry started to boom and prosperity was widespread. While the “glamour” part of it was exciting to share, it was also a good opportunity to shed light on the reality of the gilded age with unique looks, which is what some celebrities and designers successfully achieved.
When I first saw the Met Gala outfits, I noticed the relations to old American culture in the 1870’s to 1900’s from the golden colors, corsets, bustles, and big sleeves. But what I also noticed was the anthology the gala offered from fashion choices to certain messages. We were able to see celebrities share different things without even having to write it down onto their clothing, which was what made the Met Gala so popular with fashion pieces. There would either be a piece that related to something in American culture or a style that showed off a message. They offered their own interpretation of style and the multitude of what a look could carry. Much of the gala was able to convey a powerful point to others just by walking in a designer’s beautiful clothing and onto the famous Met Gala stairs.
Some celebrities were able to channel the true meaning behind the theme including the actress Blake Lively. Her look featured multiple details that represented the Statue of Liberty such as a crown with seven spikes for the seven continents and a shiny bronze dress designed by Atelier Versace. Insider explains that she described her look by saying, “It showcased inclusivity, welcomeness, and freedom” which made up most of the gilded age and what some of our country still has to offer.
While Blake Lively shared a positive message of freedom and inclusivity, some messages showed more anger and awareness. New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, wore a tux that had the phrase, ‘End Gun Violence’ written on the back. This was an example of a more political take on fashion, as it shared an act of spreading awareness on a piece of clothing. This is becoming a more common way in an industry like fashion to spread opinions, news, and awareness. Fashion shown in popular events like the Met Gala make these phrases and words more important for society to be able to convey, as it can sometimes spark a change or realization.
As an American, I felt a strong connection to the Met Gala looks and the theme. The ‘gilded age’ was a time were we had rapid economic growth, which makes the theme stand out to historians. In an article by Refinery29, Ben Horin, an American historian claims, “I think the best-dressed people incorporated historical themes with works that seemed fitting for right now and also really played into this idea of glamour and over-the-top fashion.” He describes how sensational it was that the looks were able to transport from a past trend in American history to an influential message towards our society.
I was also able to feel quite honored by the reason why the theme was gilded glamour as an American. It was considered since the American industry was growing and many things were happening in our society which sparked from the gilded age’s economic growth. Vogue tells how it was also to bring back the fashion trends from around the time as the head curator, Andrew Bolton, explained, “Early American fashion has been overlooked, or relegated to a footnote in the annals of fashion history”. It showed how America had moved with the industry and fashion in general.
While the Met Gala is able to influence a lot to others, it receives a lot of backlash for doing so. Many such as politicians and citizens did not approve of a fashion event including so much political tension, but some do not understand that the Met Gala chooses to spread important meanings and so does a lot of the fashion industry. Yahoo writes that around the time of the Met Gala, the first lady of the United States, Jill Biden stated, “Style helps us express things that can’t be put into words. The way we carry ourselves, how we put our shoulders back when times are hard, or offer a friendly smile even when we don’t agree. How we choose to show up for our communities — the small acts of kindness that are remembered long after they are offered. And that includes what we wear.”
Many do not seem to understand that fashion truly affects the way people view or receive messages. The New York Times asks, “Patriotism, pop culture, and politics were in fashion, but to what end?” The answer would be that attendees and designers showing off looks that had an inspirational message was able to spread awareness in their own unique way. When looking at the Met Gala theme and looks, you can truly understand the impact the gilded age fashion and economy growth had on America, including us being affected by freedom and change. Much of it comes from economic troubles, such as Black Lives Matter or Roe vs Wade; things America is truly affected by. This is what makes up a societal impact, even in the fashion industry.
I am able to receive awareness and understanding from a lot of the looks as an American. From Blake Lively’s patriotic look that shares the freedom of America to Eric Adam’s ‘End Gun Violence’ tux that spreads an important message towards our country. With examples like this, especially Eric Adam’s they could either have a positive or negative impact; as his created a more aware a supportive environment. Much of the messages from the Met Gala were received through the looks and many believed it was it was a genuine statement due to the hard work put into a fashion piece to spread it. As you can see, fashion can truly spread a message towards society, and the 2022 Met Gala was able to achieve that accomplishment.
