Back
The Met Gala (Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit) held on the first Monday in May is frequently referred to as “fashion’s biggest night out,” but it is also the biggest fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute. According to Forbes, last year’s gala generated 13.5 million. This year, each ticket sold cost $30,000 and a table was priced at $275,000.
The party and exhibition are also sponsored, so all the money from ticket sales goes to the Costume Institute. This year’s sponsors included Apple, Condé Nast, Farfetch, H&M, Maison Valentino and Warner Bros.
Anna Wintour, chairwoman of the gala, editor of American Vogue and artistic director for Condé Nast is gate keeper of every little detail including the exclusivity of the guest list. So even if a brand buys a table, she and Vogue have the final say as to who makes the cut.
Only recently has the red-carpet portion of the evening been televised by E! and live streamed by many others. However, what happens once the guests head inside is a secret. For the past two years, the Met has had a no posting on social media policy after the red carpet. Thanks Kylie Jenner for flouting this rule and giving us an inside look at the bathroom.
Despite the no pictures inside rule, The New York Times reports that if celebrities are invited to the gala by a brand, it is an unspoken rule that they have to wear clothes from that brand.
Using this year’s gala theme – Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between – affordable retail chain H&M created gowns and suits for seven celebrities including Nikki Minaj and Ashley Graham.
While H&M is far more affordable than much of the fashion at the Met Gala, the brand does collaborate with high-end designers on a regular basis taking high fashion appeal to the ready-to-wear streets.
Apple may not immediately seem like the most straightforward sponsor, but it has been increasing its connection to fashion ever since the launch of the Apple Watch.
It doesn’t get much more exclusive and intriguing than “Fashion’s Biggest Night Out,” “The Party of the Year” and the “Oscar’s of the East Coast,” all terms used to describe the Met Gala. To top it off, the benefits for sponsoring this event are right at the intersection of doing well by doing good.
Brands and fashion labels do well by gaining exposure through celebrity and the remarkable halo and intrigue around the Met Gala. They do good by raising money for the Costume Institute, dedicating marketing dollars that benefit a great cause. It’s a win-win from a publicity standpoint.