The Met Gala models have long been part of the event, but despite being in the shadows, there’s more than what meets the eye.
The Met Gala is what every pop culture and fashion enthusiast looks forward to every year. The glitz, the glamour, the embodiment of the clothes — everything happens at the Met Gala.
This year’s theme was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” with the dress code being “The Garden of Time.”
The dress code’s inspiration relates to J.G. Ballard’s short story of the same title. Written in 1962, the story depicts a wealthy couple living in a villa surrounded by crystal flowers.
An angry army rushes to their home every day, but to buy them time, the couple plucks a flower. One-by-one, the flowers go until there are no more left… and the army approaches.
While the message and presentation are metaphorical, an incident regarding a model at the event is not.
What is the Met Gala Anyway?
The Met Gala is an exclusive benefit Costume Institute exhibition held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York. The event is hosted by Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in-chief and the Global Chief Content Officer of Vogue’s parent company, Condé Nast.
The Met Gala is held annually with a theme and dress code prepared for all guests and donors to the event. Attendees walk the red carpet debuting eccentric fashion styles to showcase their interpretation of the theme.
The event usually hosts around 400-450 attendees including celebrities, designers, and most recently, influencers. After, guests attend an exclusive reception inside with entertainment and an unveiling of the costume exhibition.
Some garments presented at the event are too fragile to ever be worn again. Some of them will be seen for the first time.
Additionally, this year the exhibition will focus on three zones, “land,” “sea,” and “sky.” This portrays the natural world as an ode to the wonders of nature and the poetics of fashion.
@eugeni0_ Well well well this is gonna be fun #metgala2024#metgala2023#metgala#jennie#kyliejenner♬ original sound – Eugenio
Eugenio Casnighi’s TikTok alleging his termination from event | Credit: @eugeni0_
So What Happened?
Italian model Eugenio Casnighi made headlines this month after he claims he was fired from his job at the 2024 Met Gala for going viral after standing behind multiple celebrities.
On a 2-parter TikTok video Casnighi said he is breaking his silence now that his NDA is broken. He shared that he had been working as a greeter and model at the Met Gala for two years until he was abruptly fired days before the most recent Met Gala.
“So basically they said, “You made it about yourself, so we can’t have you work there anymore, so I’m sorry,” he stated.
He added that he was assigned to be with Kylie Jenner all night and help her with anything she needed, claiming they picked him because “they liked me more than other people to be with this celebrity.”
Furthermore, he said that it was inevitable for him to be in the pictures with Kylie because he was assigned to be near her at all times. Thus, when photographers took pictures of Jenner, he appeared right behind or next to her.
The Italian model was also photographed with BLACKPINK’s Jennie, whom he also said he was assigned to at one point in the night.
But who is the “they” responsible for firing Casnighi?
Met Gala Models
The Met Gala models are a known secret for how to be part of the red carpet without being on the list of attendees. Multiple modeling agencies work with the event to make sure their models can receive exposure by helping celebrities or staff with their needs.
The model gets cast or chosen from their respective agencies and then works as a “staffing guest” where they assist the celebrities and other gala members with their needs. Their tasks can range from helping the models with their outfits to fetching them water.
The models are there to help make the event look more exclusive to the public. They add “traffic” on the red carpet and promote their agencies.
This also extends to pictures. Since their job is to be around the celebrity at all times, they will be photographed eventually. Their photographs will not be individual, however, as they appear in the background.
In Casnighi’s case, the problem relates to the attention directed toward the model rather than the celebrity. The celebrities are the main “spectacle,” while the models are cast as “extras.”
To take the spotlight is essentially a contract violation. Casnighi’s termination relates to an internal issue on something controllable, according to his allegations.
But could Casnighi really control the situation?
