The Met Gala hashtag documents fashion’s most exclusive annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. Held on the first Monday in May, the event attracts A-list celebrities, designers, and influencers who interpret the year’s costume exhibition theme through elaborate outfits.
Cultural Impact
The hashtag exploded in popularity as the Met Gala transformed from industry insider event to global social media spectacle. Each year’s theme generates months of anticipation and weeks of post-event analysis. Iconic moments include Rihanna’s 2015 yellow Guo Pei gown (Meme: “when the pizza arrives”), Beyoncé’s 2015 sheer Givenchy, Lady Gaga’s 2019 four-outfit transformation, and Zendaya’s 2019 Cinderella moment with Tommy Hilfiger.
The event’s social media blackout policy (no phones inside) creates artificial scarcity, making approved photos even more valuable. Red carpet looks are dissected in real-time by fashion critics, meme creators, and casual observers alike.
Notable Themes
- 2013: “Punk: Chaos to Couture”
- 2015: “China: Through the Looking Glass”
- 2018: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”
- 2019: “Camp: Notes on Fashion”
- 2021: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”
- 2022: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” (Gilded Age theme)
The hashtag peaks annually in early May, generating billions of impressions across platforms.
https://www.metmuseum.org/events/met-gala https://www.vogue.com/tag/met-gala