Met Gala 2023: What to know about the theme, how to watch and more
This year's Met Gala theme is centered around the decades-long work of Karl Lagerfeld.
One of fashion's biggest nights will take place on its traditional date -- the first Monday in May -- and the red carpet will feature stars from across all industries wearing elaborate and eye-catching looks.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art previously announced that The Costume Institute's spring 2023 exhibition, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," will examine the work of the late fashion icon's 65-year career, specifically his stylistic language and timeless aesthetic themes.
"Karl Lagerfeld was one of the most captivating, prolific, and recognizable forces in fashion and culture, known as much for his extraordinary designs and tireless creative output as for his legendary persona," Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met, said in a statement. "This immersive exhibition will unpack his singular artistic practice, inviting the public to experience an essential part of Lagerfeld’s boundless imagination and passion for innovation."
Below, check out what you need to know about this year's festivities.
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When is the 2023 Met Gala and how can I watch?
This year's Met Gala takes place on Monday, May 1, with the red carpet beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Livestreams of the event will be available to watch starting at 6:30 p.m. ET on Vogue's website.
Who's hosting the 2023 Met Gala?
Livestream hosts include La La Anthony, Chloe Fineman and Derek Blasberg.
This year's co-chairs include Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, Roger Federer and Michaela Coel.
Met Gala theme and dress code
In line with this year's theme, the dress code at the 2023 Met Gala is "in honor of Karl."
The renowned German fashion designer died in February 2019 at the age of 85, and previously served as the creative director of luxury French fashion house Chanel from 1983 until his death. He also dressed some of the biggest stars in history.
Approximately 150 of Lagerfeld's pieces will be displayed at The Met Fifth Avenue in the Tisch Gallery, starting May 5 through July 16.
The exhibition will explore different stylistic representations of themes often repeated in Lagerfeld's work. It will also conclude with the "satirical line," which focuses on Lagerfeld's ironic, playful and whimsical predilections expressed through visual puns that reflect the designer's razor-sharp wit.
"The exhibition will explore Lagerfeld's complex working methodology, tracing the evolution of his fashions from the two dimensional to the three dimensional," Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu Curator in Charge, The Costume Institute, said in a statement. "The fluid lines of his sketches found expression in recurring aesthetic themes in his fashions, uniting his designs for Balmain, Patou, Chloé, Fendi, Chanel, and his eponymous label, Karl Lagerfeld, creating a diverse and prolific body of work unparalleled in the history of fashion."
What is the Met Gala?
The Met Gala was initially organized and presided over by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour in 1995 and is recognized as one of fashion's biggest nights. It also functions as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which aligns with the opening of its annual fashion exhibition.
With around 600 attendees, the guest list is generally kept top secret until the evening before the event. Past guests have included everyone from Rihanna and Lady Gaga to Blake Lively and Kim Kardashian -- all wearing unforgettable looks.
Through the years, the Met Gala has provided The Costume Institute with its primary source of annual funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions, operations and capital improvements.
Editor's note: This story was originally published Sept. 30, 2022.
