When is the Met Gala? What’s the theme? Who is going?

By Dannielle Maguire, ABC

The Met Gala is happening tomorrow.

It is arguably one of the biggest fashion events of the year, with designers showing off some of their boldest designs using the biggest pop culture figures as models.

Here’s what to expect.

What is the Met Gala?

On paper, the Met Gala is a fundraising dinner for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (better known as the MET) in New York City.

It coincides with the opening of a new exhibition in the gallery.

But it’s essentially a big fashion event where celebrities dress up in elaborate outfits.

It’s run by Vogue, the major international fashion magazine.

The event itself is private, with a strict no-phone and no-social-media policy.

But the guests’ journey between being dropped off to entering the building is extremely public, with hordes of photographers capturing the arrivals.

It’s not like your usual Hollywood awards night red carpet – the outfits tend to be pretty outlandish.

Celebrities typically team up with fashion houses to create a look that fits into the dress code, which changes every year.

It’s almost a competition for who can be the most creative and extra, except there are no awards.

When is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala is held on the first Monday of May each year.

This year, that falls on 6 May.

What day is the Met Gala in Australia?

It’ll be Tuesday morning in Australia when the guests start arriving in New York.

We’ll be covering the whole thing, with a live blog kicking off tomorrow morning so you can follow along as the stars arrive and the memes take over the internet.

And we’ll have a mega-wrap of the looks for you to scroll through a little later in the day.

What time is the Met Gala in New Zealand?

The whole thing kicks off at 6pm in New York.

On our side of the world, that’ll be 10am NZST.

Where can I watch the Met Gala red carpet in New Zealand?

You can stream over the internet via Vogue.

The magazine will be broadcasting it on its website, as well as over YouTube and TikTok.

Who is on the Met Gala guest list?

The guest list is secret up until the night before the Met Gala, Vogue magazine says.

But we know for sure that these four big names are coming:

Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth … because they’re hosting the event this year alongside Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

We also know that Gwendoline Christie, La La Anthony and Ashley Graham will be there because they’re co-hosting the red carpet coverage for Vogue.

About 450 guests go each year, with many of them being key pop culture figures – think actors, musicians, models, fashion designers, athletes and even politicians.

The magazine is being tight-lipped about who is going this year but hints that it’ll be a star-studded event.

“Some of the biggest names in the business regularly attend- from Beyoncé and Gigi Hadid to Madonna and Rihanna,” its website says.

What is the Met Gala theme?

The theme for this year’s exhibition is Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.

“The forthcoming show has not to do with the Brothers Grimm or Disney,” the magazine says.

“But rather the celebration of clothing and fashion so fragile that it can’t ever be worn again – and are thus sleeping beauties in the scrupulous archives of the Costume Institute.”

What is the Met Gala dress code?

The official dress code for the Met Gala is The Garden of Time.

The magazine says the dress code was inspired by a short story by J G Ballard – which was called The Garden of Time.

It’s about a count and countess who live in a grand villa, which is being threatened by an encroaching mob.

Here’s how the story was summarised in a BBC article from 2012:

“The garden contains crystalline flowers at the tops of whose stems are goblet-shaped blossoms, which when snapped from the stem, drain the garden of time and motion.

“Each evening the count snaps off one of the time flowers.

“As he carries the crystal blossom onto the terrace, the menacing rabble retreats and he and his wife are safe for another day.

“But the stems no longer bear fruit, the flowers are being used up, and the count realises that time could not be stopped forever.”

What’s the difference between the theme and the dress code?

The theme is for the exhibition, the dress code is for the event.

However, we’re expecting the two to blend.

And, as always, we’re expecting obscure interpretations of the dress code to manifest in some fabulously ridiculous outfits.

What are some iconic Met Gala looks?

In the past few years, we’ve seen iconic fashion moments from Zendaya, Cardi B, Blake Lively, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Lady Gaga … the list goes on.

Here are some of the looks we’ve been treated to in the past:

– ABC, RNZ