The Met Gala is one of fashion’s most celebrated events, but, until recently, I did not know the purpose behind the Gala. The Met Gala is the opening night of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fashion exhibit, which corresponds to the same theme as the Gala. I recently visited this year’s exhibit when I was in New York City, and today I am sharing all about the exhibit and its highlights.

Every year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute displays an exhibit in the Anna Wintour Costume Center of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The exhibit displays fashion pieces revolving around the Costume Institute’s theme of choice. This year, the theme is In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. The Met describes this theme as one that “establishes a modern vocabulary of American fashion based on its expressive qualities.”

The exhibit showcases fashion pieces, both new and old, that embody a specific aspect of the American identity. There is an adjective above each piece that describes a part of the American identity. The Costume Institute matched these words to the pieces they thought best embody them. The adjectives include “Belonging,” “Joy,” and “Reciprocity,” among many others. The pieces in the exhibit were created by a wide range of designers, ranging from Ralph Lauren to Off-White and beyond.

This exhibit is a particularly meaningful one because it expresses the idea that being American looks and means something different to everyone. It demonstrates that every American is different and that being American has many layers.

If you find yourself with spare time in New York City, I highly recommend visiting this exhibit. It is not only fun to admire the displayed clothing, but this year’s theme is meaningful and relevant to the America we live in today. The exhibit will run until September 5, 2022.

Here are my favorite pieces displayed in this year’s fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

The exhibit opens with a display of multiple American flag sweaters. My personal favorite sweater in this display is this iconic American flag sweater from Ralph Lauren’s 1989 womenswear collection. It is displayed with the word “idealism,” as it represents the “ideals of a newly independent nation,” as described by the Met.

This gown designed by Claude Kameni perfectly embodies the word “vitality” through its bold shape and its vibrant pattern. I love how Kameni paired the elegant shape of this gown with such a fun pattern.

This Off-White dress, paired with the word “reciprocity,” is made up of an Arcteryx jacket and tulle, creating a uniquely casual yet formal gown. There is reciprocity present between these two mediums, as they complement each other to create this cool dress.

The light colors and floral designs present in these dresses perfectly capture the idea of innocence. These dresses are both delicate and dainty, yet they are unique from each other because they are made of different materials. These two pieces were both designed by Olivia Cheng for her dreamy label, Dauphinette.

This dress designed by Vacquera represents naiveté through its youthful and bold shape. This dress is by no means traditional, conveying the idea that this dress is naive to the expectations of society.

My personal favorite piece in this exhibit is this stunning blue gown from Rodarte. This gown is paired with the word “ebullience” which means “the quality of being cheerful and full of energy,” as defined by Oxford Languages. This dress embodies just that, through its beautiful shape and vibrant royal blue color.

Not a piece of clothing, but this quilt is a very special and interesting part of the exhibit. In 1856, Adeline Harris sent diamond shaped pieces of silk to sign to 360 Americans including eight presidents, Northern military heroes, and abolitionists. She obtained these signatures, including the signature of Abraham Lincoln, and put them together in this quilt.

Featured image via: https://vmagazine.com/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2021-met-galas-accompanying-exhibit/