Maker Monday: The MET Gala - The First Monday in May

 Its that time of year again...

The First Monday in May means its MET Gala day!

In what could be considered as one of the biggest days in the fashion calendar, the MET Gala is a fundraising gala to raise funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Over the years it has explored a number of themes that celebrities, icons and designers all try and fill with their outfit of choice. 

This years exhibition is part 2 of a two-part exhibition. In part 1, 'In America: A lexicon of Fashion' shown last year showcased 80 years of American style through key clothing pieces from iconic brands and designers. 

This year exhibition title is called 'An Anthology of Fashion' and has translated this as the theme 'Gilded Glamour'; asking attendees to embody and represent the style and excess of Gilded Age New York. 

The 'show' or entrance will begin at 6pm American Eastern Time; roughly 11pm UK time and can be live streamed on the Vogue website. 

Before we devour this years looks on social media tomorrow, lets take a look at some of the key looks from years past as the ultimate Maker Monday treat...

Rihanna wearing Guo Pei in 2015 (Source: Vanity Fair - Timothy A. Clary)

Rihanna wore this amazing couture creation hand embroidered by local artisans; it took 6,000 hours to create and weighted 25kg. 

Lady Gaga wearing Brandon Maxwell in 2019 (Source: Getty Images via Elle.com)

What began as an shocking pink, voluminous gown evolved through 4 outfit changes in the space of the red carpet. 

Kim Kardashian in Thierry Mugler in 2019 (Source: Vanity Fair - Dia Dipasupil)

Labelled the 'Wet Dress', it took eight months to make and was one of the first garments Thierry Mugler had made for his brand in over 20 years. The dress was considered controversial due to Kardashian's extremely cinched in waist, which due to her personal trainer was a result of training 6 days a week and a bespoke made corset from Mr Pearl. 

Katy Perry in Maison Margiela in 2017 (Source: Vanity Fair - Theo Wargo)

As co-chair of the event in 2017, Perry chose this red bridal look from Margiela's Spring/ Summer 2017 Artisanal collection. Taking 350 hours to create and an additional 7 days on the embroidery alone, it definitely fitted in with the other avant-garde looks of that year. 

Emma Watson in Calvin Klein in 2016 (Source: Getty Images via Elle.com)

The gown is actually a top and trousers, and is made entirely from recycled plastic. A collaboration between Calvin Klein and Eco Age, each element of the outfit was considered with sustainability as the key component. The zips were made from recyclable materials, and the fabrics used were organic and environmentally friendly. 

Celine Dion in Oscar De la Renta in 2019 (Source: Vanity Fair - Dia Dipasupil)

Inspired by the dazzling outfits of the Ziegfried Follies, the outfit featured lengths of fringing and beads and weighed 22 pounds. 

Cardi B in Thom Browne in 2019 (Source: Getty Images via Elle.com)

Made from silk organza and tulle, the expanding circles for the train were filled with duck down and extended ten feet behind her! Its decorated with 30,000 feathers and took a team of 35 people over 2,000 hours to create. Definitely one way to make an entrance!

If you would like to see more from the MET Gala and how it evolves, why not watch the documentary 'The First Monday in May' (Directed by Andrew Rossi). Released in 2016, it follows the creation of the the 'China: Through the Looking Glass' exhibition, curated by Andrew Bolton who was the mastermind behind McQueen's Savage Beauty exhibition. 

You can watch the documentary on Prime Video or Netflix