I wasn’t sure if our last blog posts had to be particularly reflective. I’ve really enjoyed the process of simply writing every week, having to consider alternative views on a subject. In the process of writing many of these blogs I’ve figured out my views change halfway through, perhaps indicating that I don’t edit my work enough. At the risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, I’ve really enjoyed this module. It has given me insight into how academic collaboration works while remaining accessible. I’d like to preface the blog post that follows with the fact it is a ramble. I made a mood board, purely out of my own interest and boredom on this rainy Friday afternoon. Maybe through reading it you’ll learn something new- about Twitter, how I spend my time on Instagram or the workings of the Costume Institute. Maybe you’ll tell me what you favourite outfit is on Tuesday.
It really is a strange feeling not being in St Andrews for the start of May. Although this Monday marked the start of revision week, this year students will not be flocking to the pubs, enjoying the few days outdoors and on the grass in the quads basking in the sunshine at the end of classes for the year. I worry through my blog posts I’ve become to fixated on our current context, then having to remind myself that everything we write is dictated by the current state of affairs to some extent. This is central to historiography is it not? This concept has been the basis of my own project, the idea that background and upbringing can shape interests, identity and discussion.
Back to the point. I love the start of May. May Dip brings excitement and staying up all night, watching a pinky sunrise. I’m not ashamed to admit not much revision gets done in the first week (sorry dad), as everyone is still winding down into focus mode at the end of the semester. But my absolute favourite thing about May has to be the Met Gala. We discussed it a little during the Unconference, about the idea of modern museums, after Owen brought up that he had recently watched the First Monday in May (great documentary and if you haven’t seen it you really don’t have an excuse- it goes beyond being girly and only about fashion I promise), detailing how the 2015 incarnation of the Gala had come together. The Costume Institute Gala takes place every year at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York, and marks the opening of its annual exhibition. Since its conception in 1948, it has become a symbol of luxury, society and decadence. It is held every year on the first Monday of May, which this year would have taken place next week. It has been postponed due to the current circumstances, which raised questions but also gave me the chance to discuss one of my absolute favourite things. If the opening to the exhibition has been postponed, will the Gala follow suit? Does this in turn lose the allure of May as the opening to the summer season, are these all outdated concepts we should move past?
I was particularly excited for the Met Gala this year, as I was anxious to see who scored an invitation. Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, chairs a committee and almost has final say on all the invitees. If you’ve ever seen the Devil Wears Prada, you’ll have some idea of this woman’s perceived persona. Yet the invitations to the Met Gala in past years have demonstrated more than just who has caught her eye. Wintour has frequently identified rising stars and given them legitimacy through their attendance of the Met Gala in ways that the conventional Award Season has failed. This has repeatedly been a common critique of shows like the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes etc. They do not recognise rising talent quickly enough, and in particular showcase diversity as willingly as they should. The notable example that comes to mind is Awkwafina, perhaps most well known for her role as Peik-Lin in 2018’s blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians. Last year she was nominated for categories like the Rising Star award, but left out of the heavyweight Supporting Actress of which many argue she was worthy. Since then, she starred in more serious roles, most notably Lulu Wang’s the Farewell, which garnered heavy praise for showcasing the cultural differences faced by many Asian-Americans, who often feel ostracised within both traditionally American and Asian communities. Through the Met Gala and their attendance, Awkwafina among other figures like Lupita Nyong’o have gained recognition and appreciation of their work through their attendance of this event rather than through an accolade.
This push for diversity within the entertainment industry and an understanding of ‘high society’ has also been promoted by the Costume Institute’s director, Andrew Bolton. His choice of themes over the last few years have moved away from traditional and often Eurocentric understandings of fashion to consider voices and viewpoints from farther afield. 2019 saw ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’ which encouraged conversations about gender theory, the LGBTQ+ community and inclusion within the fashion industry. 2017 was ‘the Art of the Between’ and was the first time an Asian woman had been featured as the theme through the likes of Rei Kawakubo, the designer of Commes des Garçons. 2015’s ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’ examined the influence of Chinese art, film and pop culture on Western fashion. The latter two years saw much criticism of the designers who dress celebrities, as many commentators argue they did not creatively interpret the themes in many cases. There were notable exceptions. In 2015, Rihanna wore little-known (then) designer Guo Pei’s yellow dress which instantly gain him notoriety and became one of the biggest memes of the year (yes, that omelette dress).
It seems easy from an outside perspective, of someone who will probably never attend the Met Gala to level a critique out the Best/Worst Dressed. Many stars and attendees do whole-heartedly accept the theme and go all out, yet so many outfits have fallen flat. Perhaps this blog post has become a long ramble, and this will seem trivial. It may not be the most important thing right now, to discuss the loss of this event amongst the chaos of what is going on. Yet I believe this year’s Met Gala would have been greatly significant in indicating where pop culture was headed for the year. Lizzo attended last year’s ball and soon after became the popstar of the summer/year and continues to find immense success. The Gala is not a Magic-8 ball for the next big thing, not by a long stretch. These figures are very much established by the time they set foot on those steps. Rather, what Wintour has been able to turn this event into is a recognition of the ‘Other’. Over the last few decades people of all colours, races, genders and sexualities have been invited. It has brought immense diversity and credibility to the event as it has continued to set the precedent. I’m sure this year the cast of Boon Joon-Ho’s Parasite, would have been in attendance, and probably the director himself.
I was reading about this year’s event for this blog entry, reminding myself of the some of the best outfits from the past few years, and my favourite red carpet moments. I cannot explain why this event brings me so much joy, but I think it has something to do with the juxtaposition of the seemingly superficial decadence of the event, and how intertwined it has become with culture, history and art. The designers spend months putting together cohesive looks that tell a story, the Gala becomes the culmination of Andrew Bolton’s year. The dialogue in the days following are articles dissecting hidden notes within looks, where artists and designers found their inspiration, which is an education in itself. There is so much scope to view the history of the Costume Institute Gala as postcolonial, considering spatial and material history, the intersections between fashion and art history in our globalised world. If you’re interested, and have nothing else to do on Monday, probably closer to Tuesday morning for most of us, have a look at #HFTMetGala. I only recently discovered the world of ‘High Fashion Twitter’ about a dozen or so girls my age who have created their own virtual Met Gala for Monday. Read about it here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/29/fashion/coronavirus-met-gala-twitter.html. They have adapted this year’s theme of ‘About Time: Fashion and Duration’ to ‘Temporal Conflation’. They have created five challenges, mood boards, providing almost a whole world of interpretation of Bolton’s original ideas, which will hopefully be unveiled when the exhibition opens later this year. Vogue Magazine has piggy-backed the idea, hosting a competition to re-create your favourite look from the past at home rather than interpret this year’s theme. This demonstrates how we continue to adapt technology, fashion and art. This pandemic has proved useful as a lens to promote a shift in culture. Traditional celebrity/influencer status is diminishing, teenagers are taking over Twitter and High Fashion, and even Billy Porter can’t quite keep up. I’m not sure I’ve been able to get my point across here, in this very long organza-themed ramble. Every year the Met Gala has provided a snapshot of what is important to art, culture, fashion and more than just high society. Despite being decadent, it sheds light on important issues, taking a risk and a stand. It has adapted when called insular, Eurocentric and will only continue to do so. It has fared better than many of the other events in the entertainment industry, and I wonder what I’ll be doing on the first Monday in May next year.