Met Ball
Encyclopedia
The Costume Institute Gala (or Costume Institute Ball), known as the Met Ball and nicknamed the "Oscars of the East Coast", is an annual ball
that celebrates the annual opening of the Metropolitan Museum's (The Met) fashion exhibit at the Costume Institute. The red carpet
evening where celebrities arrive dressed to impress is described as the fashion
industry's "Night of Nights". Fashion industry experts and style magazines consider the event, which is hosted by Vogue
to be the fashion world's best red carpet event. It is regarded as the top annual social event in New York City. The event has been an annual affair at the Met since 1948 (the year in which the Costume Institute was founded), but it has been held in different parts of the museum over the years.
In 2005, individual tickets ranged in price from US$5000 to $15,000, while corporate sponsors paid $150,000 for whole tables. In 2006, the event raised a total of $4.5million. In 2010, the price of the top table was $250,000. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour
oversees both the benefit committee and the guest list, although Vogue staffers help assemble the list of celebrity invitees. For over 10 years, ending in the late 2000s, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff was the special-events planner at Vogue in charge of seating. Robert Isabell
designed the event for over a decade prior to his death in 2009. Vogue and Chanel
have shared the cost of the event.
Each year the event has a theme, and the evening includes a cocktail hour and a formal dinner. The evening rivals the West Coast's Vanity Fair
Oscar Party, which is said to have more "star power", but less fashion panache. The Oscars parties have more Hollywood people and press representatives.
Ball (dance)
A ball is a formal dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare", meaning 'to dance'; the term also derived into "bailar", which is the Spanish and Portuguese word for dance . In Catalan it is the same word, 'ball', for the dance event.Attendees wear evening attire, which is...
that celebrates the annual opening of the Metropolitan Museum's (The Met) fashion exhibit at the Costume Institute. The red carpet
Red carpet
A red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by VIPs and celebrities at formal events.- History :...
evening where celebrities arrive dressed to impress is described as the fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
industry's "Night of Nights". Fashion industry experts and style magazines consider the event, which is hosted by Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
to be the fashion world's best red carpet event. It is regarded as the top annual social event in New York City. The event has been an annual affair at the Met since 1948 (the year in which the Costume Institute was founded), but it has been held in different parts of the museum over the years.
In 2005, individual tickets ranged in price from US$5000 to $15,000, while corporate sponsors paid $150,000 for whole tables. In 2006, the event raised a total of $4.5million. In 2010, the price of the top table was $250,000. Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour
Anna Wintour, OBE is the British-born editor-in-chief of American Vogue, a position she has held since 1988. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and sunglasses, Wintour has become an institution throughout the fashion world, widely praised for her eye for fashion trends and her support for...
oversees both the benefit committee and the guest list, although Vogue staffers help assemble the list of celebrity invitees. For over 10 years, ending in the late 2000s, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff was the special-events planner at Vogue in charge of seating. Robert Isabell
Robert Isabell
Bruce Robert Isabell was an American event planner who was behind lavish and innovative events including weddings and funerals of the richest and most famous...
designed the event for over a decade prior to his death in 2009. Vogue and Chanel
Chanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
have shared the cost of the event.
Each year the event has a theme, and the evening includes a cocktail hour and a formal dinner. The evening rivals the West Coast's Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
Oscar Party, which is said to have more "star power", but less fashion panache. The Oscars parties have more Hollywood people and press representatives.