The Met Gala, regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamourous fashion event of the year, is an annual haute couture fundraising event, raising money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in Manhattan. On the first Monday of May every year, celebrities from all over the globe come together to wear extravagant outfits in accordance to a theme. Past themes include: Camp, Heavenly Bodies, Punk, and 2025’s theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Sounds like a positive event, right?
Of course the core of the event being an opportunity to raise money for charity is a positive. However, the Met Gala has come under scrutiny for being a display of wealth and elitism in times where crisis is ruining people’s livelihood, illustrating a somewhat dystopian fantasy of rich and poor, similar to that displayed in The Hunger Games. In this article, I will be comparing the Capitol from The Hunger Games to the Met Gala as they share similarities in themes. Some of those themes being: excess, elitism, and the juxtaposition of opulence with social issues.
Excessive opulence
The excessive opulence is illustrated in The Hunger Games through the citizens of the Capitol living these extravagant lifestyles. They indulge in lavish fashion, flaunting their excess wealth through their exaggerated appearances, showcasing their elaborate hairstyles and outfits. The Capitol live in stark contrast to those who live in the impoverished Districts, exposing a culture of oversufficiency and self-indulgence.
In similarity, the Met Gala is the epitome of luxury and excess in the fashion world. The attendees wear haute couture and outrageous outfits, often costing thousands, or even millions. Some even wear iconic and authentic outfits previously worn by legendary celebrities – I’m talking about Kim Kardashian wearing and ruining Marylin Monroe’s gown by stretching it and creating new holes with many of the crystals hanging on for dear life or having completely fallen off, I will personally never EVER get over this. As a whole, the event is a celebration of wealth and high fashion, which can appear to be out of touch with broader societal issues. Sound familiar?
disconnection with reality
As demonstrated in The Hunger Games, The Capitol’s citizens are largely oblivious to the struggles of the Districts, or perhaps just blatantly ignore this aspect of living in them. They live in this bubble of comfort and privilege, further highlighting the striking contrasts with the harsh realities faced by those in the Districts. Some of these harsh realities ranging from poverty to the fear of the annual reaping of children to compete in the Hunger Games itself, and the list goes on.
Whilst being a celebration of fashion, the Met Gala can be viewed as being, somewhat, disconnected with real-world problems, especially during times of economic or social turmoil. This display of wealth and extravagance can feel relatively tone-deaf in the context of global crises, poverty, or climate change. For example, the Met Gala occurring during the global pandemic in 2021 as well as during the ongoing genocide in Palestine. Although some of the celebrities make political statements with their garments, it doesn’t disguise the fact that they paid $50,000 to even attend the event. Money that could’ve gone directly to a charity supporting that political message they’re trying to send. Just saying… but I digress.
Theatricality and performance
The characterisation of the Capitol is that of theatrical events, including the Games themselves. The Games were originally designed to entertain the elite whilst simultaneously showcasing the struggles of the twelve Districts. From the fashion to the speeches to the ceremonies; these are all performances meant to distract and amuse the elite.
Comparably, The Met Gala is a theatrical spectacle in its own right, where the attendees are not just fashion lovers, but they’re also performers on a grand stage. The event is filled with elaborate outfits, red carpet moments, and social media coverage that amplifies the sense of performance and spectacle. Think about it. We all remember Zendaya’s light-up Cinderella dress. It was a complete spectacle and completely amazing. She looked absolutely stunning. It was a performance, similar to that of Katniss’ dresses that would catch fire, right?
Social stratification
In the Capitol, the citizens live in luxury whilst the districts suffer, exemplifying the class divide and exploitation of the less fortunate, especially for the children who have to go off and kill each other in an arena for entertainment purposes. This division is the central theme of The Hunger Games, highlighting social injustice.
Furthermore, the guestlist for the Met Gala is exclusive, often comprising of celebrities, influencers, and elite fashion figures. This exclusivity reinforces social stratification within the fashion industry, drawing criticism for excluding lesser-known designers and marginalised voices. I mean, it costs $50,000 to even attend which, in turn, promotes elitism.
themes of fashion and identity
The fashion in the Capitol is a tool for self-expression, but it also serves as a means to project power and status. The citizens use extravagant clothing and accessories to distinguish themselves from others and to conform to the Capitols ideals of beauty and lifestyle.
In parallel to this, the Met Gala serves as a platform for designers and celebrities to express their identities through fashion. The outfits often reflect personal stories, political statements, or cultural critiques, making fashion a means of communication beyond mere aesthetics. For example, congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) wearing a white gown with ‘Tax the Rich’ written in red print on it.
my final thoughts
Although being a gorgeous event raising money for charity, highlighting haute couture fashion, and overall being an entertaining event, I feel as though it is necessary for us to bear the, somewhat, dystopian aspects in mind when we watch the next Met Gala occur. The similarities between this insanely dystopian story with its ideas of the Capitol and the Districts and the Met Gala are interesting and thought-provoking. Keep these similarities in mind the next time you watch the event. I may just be overthinking and speculating though…