As has been the case with a multitude of pleasurable activities we all previously took for granted, this year's Met Gala was wholly fucked up by the arrival of COVID-19. The annual gathering of fashion's boldest personalities was postponed indefinitely back in March, leaving would-be attendees and everyday fans to their own devices on May 4, i.e. the originally scheduled date for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute fundraiser.
In lieu of the main event, Met Gala mourners took to the Billy Porter-encouraged #MetGalaChallenge hashtag to recreate a few iconic fits of the past, often with an eye toward inventive material selection.
Below, peep a selection of particularly inspired entries, including recreations of classic looks from Rihanna and Ezra Miller:
Meanwhile, the theme of the 2020 Met Gala would have been "About Time: Fashion and Duration." According to comments Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton gave Vogue, the theme was inspired by the 1992 movie Orlando, based on the Virginia Woolf novel. The original idea, Bolton explained, stemmed from a pivotal scene centered on Tilda Swinton.
"It's a reimagining of fashion history that's fragmented, discontinuous, and heterogeneous," Bolton added.
Here's to hoping Met Gala festivities are able to resume soon, as the fits and accompanying commentary are certainly missed this year.
