T he Met Gala, an annual event notionally intended to raise funds and awareness of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, is once again dominating the entertainment-news cycle for a morning. Over the past several years, it’s come to occupy a similar space in the celebrity calendar as the Oscars or Golden Globes, a guaranteed headline-generator thanks to the attendees’ elaborate wardrobes.
But at awards shows or movie press tours or other red-carpet opportunities of the sort, there’s something at stake beyond fashion. When a star walks the red carpet at the Oscars, she’s there on the basis of her talents and abilities, and at a movie premiere, she’s specifically hoping to draw attention to her work onscreen. Stars are invited to the Met Gala, usually by the fashion companies with the wherewithal to buy seats, with the understanding that they’re little more than ornamentation. There’s no other prize to win but best-dressed.
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In large part because the event is run by Vogue (a magazine in whose pages it’s considered a coup to appear), the stars who attend generally play ball with fairly extreme requests. The majority abide by themes that are often risky or unflattering; Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker, for instance, wore an ornate red headpiece in honor (sort of!) of Chinese fashion last night, and when the theme was “punk” in 2013, she wore a fake mohawk. The Met Gala isn’t exactly trolling the stars who attend, but it makes clear that—in the era of Reese Witherspoon’s “Ask Her More” movement encouraging stars to assert their intellectual sides on the red carpet—the whole point is to sublimate oneself to fashion.
That’s not to say that stars’ personalities don’t come through, in one way or another, at the Met Gala. From Rihanna’s regal yellow gown to Beyoncé’s near-nude dress, the looks all were roughly on-brand for the stars inhabiting them. But the looks are all we have. Though there are reporters on the red carpet, they generally get next-to-nothing but the names of designers. The Met Gala is a nutrient-free event, perfect for the Internet age. It produces no meaningful takeaway, just a set of images of celebrities onto which one can project anything.
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In 2013, Gwyneth Paltrow, who’d bent the rules by wearing Pepto pink to the “punk” gala, made waves when she said that she’d never attend the event again. “It was so un-fun,” the actress said . But who could be surprised by that? The event doesn’t even look like fun. It looks like the boiled-down essence of a celebrity’s job: Spending hours getting ready to be photographed, in order to provide grist for one’s fans and make other people money. All of them will be honored for the more edifying aspects of their jobs on other occasions, but for spectators, the Met Gala is a refreshing break from meaning in favor of pure celebrity.
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See Celebrities on the Red Carpet at the 2015 Met Gala Amal Clooney and George Clooney attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Rihanna attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Jay Z and Beyonce attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Jessica Chastain attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Jamie McCarthy—FilmMagic/Getty Images Kerry Washington attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Jamie McCarthy—FilmMagic/Getty Images Lizzy Caplan attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Lorde attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Jamie McCarthy—FilmMagic/Getty Images Anne Hathaway attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Elizabeth Banks attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Amanda Seyfried attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Donna Karan and Calvin Klein attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Solange attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images Alison Brie attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Brie Larson attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Katy Perry attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Jamie McCarthy—FilmMagic/Getty Images Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Keri Russell attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Helen Mirren attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Katie Holmes attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Sarah Jessica Parker attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Anna Wintour attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Bee Shaffer attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Gong Li attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Wendi Murdoch attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Ansel Elgort attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Kenneth Cole attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images John Boyega attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Jamie McCarthy—FilmMagic/Getty Images Marissa Mayer attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Larry David attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Courtney Eaton attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Grace Coddington attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images Allison Williams attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Jamie McCarthy—FilmMagic/Getty Images Irina Shayk attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Emily Ratajkowski attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Dianna Agron attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Katie Couric attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Rachel Weisz attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Lily Collins attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Chloe Grace Moretz attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Larry Busacca—Getty Images Taraji P. Henson and Alexander Wang attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Chloe Sevigny attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York.
Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Kendall Jenner attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Claire Danes attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Dakota Johnson attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Kate Hudson attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Jennifer Connelly attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Cara Delevingne attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Adriana Lima attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Karlie Kloss and Gigi Hadid attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Emily Blunt attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Miranda Kerr attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images Rita Ora attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Carey Mulligan attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Kate Beckinsale attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Lady Gaga attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Larry Busacca—Getty Images Miley Cyrus and Zoe Kravitz attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Vanessa Hudgens attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Vera Wang and Selena Gomez attend the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images Kate Mara attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York. Dimitrios Kambouris—Getty Images