The echoes of children’s cries didn’t wake the sleeping beauties at this year’s Met Gala.
On the first Monday of May, celebrities gather at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City dressed in their most extravagant clothing. Despite this year’s exhibit being titled “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” the event failed to wake the consciousness of those in attendance. Their silence was deafening.
Fashion frequently intersects with politics, acting as the medium for social and political commentary and advocacy. While often overlooked, clothing has consistently sent powerful messages across the world transcending social, economic, and cultural barriers.
One notable way fashion intersects with politics is through protest fashion. Activists frequently leverage their influence by wearing clothing with symbolic colours, slogans, and imagery—giving visual representation to various sociopolitical movements globally.
Celebrities have frequently been seen ing causes such as inclusivity within religious spaces, economic equality, and gun control at events like the Met Gala. However, this year was different.
At the 2018 Met Gala, themed “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe made a powerful statement by wearing a sleek black suit adorned with a rainbow cape, symbolizing the need for inclusivity and acceptance within religious spaces.
Similarly, at the 2021 Met Gala, U.S. representative for New York’s 14th Congressional District, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, known as AOC, used the famous steps of the Met to address economic inequality—wearing a dress with a bold red slogan on the back that read “Tax the Rich,” highlighting the disparity between different economic classes.
In 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams attended the gala in a tuxedo with a tailcoat bearing the message “Ending Gun Violence.” His outfit aimed to draw attention to the urgent issue of gun violence in the United States, leveraging the event’s high profile to spotlight this critical concern.
Fearing the consequences of speaking out, this year’s celebrities kept quiet. Unbeknownst to them, their quietness also carries consequences.
While celebrities paraded down the red carpet, posing in front of the flashing cameras, over a million Palestinians were ordered by the Israeli forces to flee parts of Rafah. The juxtaposition of the opulent fashion event and the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza highlighted a stark contrast between the privileged world of the Met Gala and the harsh realities faced by those affected by conflict.
The absence of statements or gestures addressing such pressing issues at this year’s Met Gala was palpable. It underscored a growing disconnect between the glamour of high fashion and the responsibilities that come with such a visible platform. In a world where fashion has the power to amplify voices and advocate for change, the silence of this year’s attendees was a missed opportunity to shed light on global injustices and promote solidarity.
As the Met Gala continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether future iterations will reclaim their role as a stage for advocacy and social justice, or if the allure of glamour will continue to overshadow the urgent need for voices of conscience in the fashion industry.
While it can be reasonable to be afraid of speaking out, the silence at this year’s Met Gala serves as a reminder that in times of crisis, every platform—no matter how glamorous—carries the responsibility to elevate the voices of those who cannot be heard and to shine a light on the injustices that persist in our world.
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