From attendees to hosts, the 2021 Met Gala is featuring one of the youngest ever line-ups, but critics are not happy with the Gen Z takeover.
September 13 marks the return of the long anticipated fashion extraordinaire, with Anna Wintour also reprising her coveted organiser role. Known for its jaw-dropping looks and A List guests, the Met Gala has provided a platform for designers to showcase their extreme outfits. This year, however, it seems that change is imminent.
The new wave of Met attendees includes various social media influencers, such as TikTok’s Addison Rae and Youtube’s Emma Chamberlain. The new youthful group of stars doesn’t stop there though; the co-chairs for 2021 have raised eyebrows, with the eldest being a mere 25! It’s safe to say that this will be a year like no other.
Since news of the younger guest list broke, it has been revealed that many of the usual faces will not appear at this years event. Sarah Jessica Parker will reportedly not be in attendance, despite her prominence at many of the events previously. Her 2018 Dolce & Gabbana dress is arguably one of the most recognisable looks from the past and her impeccable sense of style will truly be missed.
The millions of followers amassed by this year’s celebrities will no doubt be beneficial to the publicity of the event, but does it take away the element of tradition? It feels like the Met Gala is quickly becoming more focused on views, rather than the prestigious fashion and designers it used to highlight. The exclusivity of the event also seems to have faded, with less recognisable online personalities being entered into the mix.
This year’s theme revolves solely around American fashion. Pretty vague, but at least there’s an added element of surprise for when the celebs arrive on the red carpet. There’s no doubts the outfits will be as stunning as always, but in many people’s eyes, it just won’t be the same calibre as previous years.
As eager fans await the red carpet roll-out, all that’s left to do is place our hopes on the influencers attending. But after the many scandals rocking social media surrounding influencers faking their wealth, I can’t say those hopes are very high. Let’s just pray to the pop culture gods that the likes of Beyoncé and Blake Lively will make a stunning return.