The Met Gala is the annual home of many of the year's best fashion statements, but not everyone is happy with how it's been going in recent years.
"The only thing about the Met that I wish hadn't happened is that it's turned into a costume party," out designer Tom Ford, who has served as co-chair of the Gala before, said in a recent interview.
The incendiary quotes come from a new book, Anna: The Biography, about fashion icon and longtime American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The book, written by Amy Odell, was recently excerpted on Time and delves into how Wintour, the global editorial director of Vogue and global chief content officer for Conde Nast, has famously hosted the Gala for nearly 30 years.
"That used to just be very chic people wearing beautiful clothes going to an exhibition about the 18th century." Ford continued. "You didn't have to look like the 18th century, you didn't have to dress like a hamburger, you didn't have to arrive in a van where you were standing up because you couldn't sit down because you wore a chandelier."
Of course, pop singer Katy Perry famously wore a functioning chandelier dress to the 2019 Met Gala (when the theme was Camp) and then changed into a bedazzled hamburger costume (complete with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles) for an afterparty.
Still, despite his hate for some of the outfits worn, Ford isn't boycotting the event. In fact, he's returning as honorary co-chair for next month's Gala. The theme for this year is "In America: An Anthology of Fashion."
While this year's looks shouldn't be as out-there as they were when the theme was Camp, there are sure to be some head-turners and some head-scratchers.
Tune in to the Met Gala on Monday, May 2, to see all the fashion, and the costumes, and decide for yourself if you agree with Ford.
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