Met Gala raises $42m as stars attend ‘Fashion is Art’ night — BBC News

[0:00] Hello, you're with BBC News Live and this is your lowdown of everything you might just have missed [0:06] at the Met Gala. Hundreds of celebrities on the carpet in New York. Yasmin Khatandewan has been [0:14] scrolling through lots of the pictures like many of us have been at home as we woke up this morning. [0:20] You can see some of the key stars on the set around us as well. We're going to be taking you [0:26] through the key moments and we will also explain and talk a little bit about some of the controversy [0:32] around this year's Met Gala as well. Also on hand to take you through everything we saw at this [0:39] year's Met Gala is fashion and lifestyle editor from The Garden, Moena Furrier. Moena, it's great [0:46] to have you on hand as well. I know you stayed up for much of the night to keep across some of the [0:51] key looks. So let's get into it. We'll go through some of the biggest stars that we saw on the [0:56] on the carpet, the slightly green carpet we should say. But what exactly first of all is the Met Gala, [1:03] Yasmin? It happens every year. The Met Gala is essentially a very glamorous fundraising event. [1:09] It is for the Metropolitan Museum Arts Costume Institute which has moved to a new location [1:15] inside the building, a bigger, bolder location for its new exhibition. And every year as part of that [1:22] exhibition to launch it, you have the Met Gala where these attendees stick to theme. We'll take a look [1:29] at that exhibition. We don't know too much about what goes on inside but we know they get a visit [1:34] for that new exhibition which is in this new location. And it is this huge fundraising night [1:39] to keep the Costume Institute alive. And yesterday, another record breaker of an evening, 42 million [1:46] dollars raised for that institute. We're talking big numbers which is something else we will come on [1:53] to. Moena, costume art was this year's theme. Talk to us about that. Explain it and kind of how it gets [2:00] decided as well. So it's essentially customised theme and it's about the relationship between art and [2:09] fashion essentially. And the link between the exhibition itself and the actual dress code tends [2:16] to be quite tangential. And it was a slightly different one. It was called fashion as art. So [2:19] everybody dressed up in two ways. Either as the works of art themselves. It was quite a literal [2:25] taking the painting and putting on a dress. While some of them did arrange their body in a slightly new [2:31] way. But the idea was to use sort of fashion as a way of sort of valorising some of the bodies that we [2:37] don't normally see in fashion. So there was quite a big focus on sort of contorting the body or using [2:43] corsets. But also a lot of nudity, as you can imagine, a lot of naked dressing. But also some [2:49] kind of quite literal adoptions of the theme. Some kind of great sort of Klimt paintings which were [2:56] kind of essentially painted onto dresses. So it was quite, it was a tricky theme to interpret. It always is. [3:01] And it was, it was a strange one. But it's, I think they pulled it off. [3:05] Well, let's go through some of the biggest names that we saw at the Met Gala. Starting, I think, [3:13] Yasmin, with Beyonce. We've got a, maybe as close as we'll get to be on set with lots of these stars. [3:20] But Beyonce back there for the first time in 10 years. [3:22] Well, that was a big return. Beyonce has returned a decade on from her last appearance at the Met Gala, [3:28] where, you know, all eyes are often on, on someone like Beyonce attending an event like this. [3:33] But she appeared with her family in Olivia Risteng, who she's worn on a number of occasions [3:38] in the skeletal type of interpretation of fashion as art. I mean, with Moenna just mentioned naked [3:44] dressing there, I guess it's taking on the body as art in that reference. But also Beyonce taking on [3:50] this, you know, role as chair alongside Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and also attending with her [3:56] family. I mean, Blue Ivy made an appearance with her, who at the age of 14 is slightly underage, [4:01] actually, for the Met, which has an age of 18, I believe, for attendance. [4:05] Yes, maybe when Beyonce's your mum and she's a coacher, it helps. [4:08] I think so. I think so. [4:10] Yeah, we did just see her there on screen, Beyonce, with her family as well. [4:15] Blake Lively was also back at the Met Gala. [4:19] Yes. [4:20] Also on the same day that her case with co-star from the film It Ends With Us, Justin Baldoni, [4:28] was settled. [4:29] Yes. So the last time Blake Lively attended the Met Gala, she was serving as a co-chair. [4:35] So she was up and she was in that, you know, big Empire State dress, which transformed on the [4:41] steps. And of course, she made her career on the steps as a young actress on Gossip Girl on the [4:46] steps in the Metropolitan Museum. So her appearance also timed in line with this, you know, moments [4:51] after we heard that her case with her co-star Justin Baldoni had been settled, I think talks to [4:57] what the Met Gala is as a cultural reference point for stars, for brands, brand ambassadors to come in, [5:04] you know, and to say, you know, I'm here and I'm a part of this cultural moment. [5:10] Moana, I mean, as somebody who, well, not only kind of stayed up for much of the night, [5:15] but I'm sure closely follows this event year in, year out. What was your take on not only [5:22] what we saw from some of the co-chairs, but also more generally, you know, what stood out to you? [5:29] I mean, it's hard to sort of ignore the sort of who attended and why they attended because [5:35] it is essentially seen as the auspice of the fashion industry, except for nobody wins anything. [5:39] It's just kind of a, it's a big power play. It's about fashion, but it's also about who matters [5:45] and who's got status, who's got power, and also who's got money. And the biggest standup for me [5:50] was obviously the sponsor, the main sponsor of the night, which was Jeff Bezos and his wife, [5:55] Lauren Sanchos Bezos. Now, Jeff Bezos was not, he's the Amazon founder. He wasn't on the, [6:00] on the green carpet, but Lauren was. And it was very hard to kind of look past that as to, you know, [6:08] in regards to who actually also attended with him, some people who didn't attend perhaps related to [6:13] his presence. Um, but also why exactly he was there because, you know, it's, it is a fundraiser. [6:20] Uh, Anna Wintel has a, as a, has a guest list. She's a, she's a gatekeeper. Um, and she gets to pick [6:26] and choose who goes, but you know, she tries to assure that the, only the most culturally relevant [6:31] people attend. Um, but it is also because it is a fundraiser, it's also people with big pockets. [6:37] Um, you know, and it's hard to ignore the fact that, you know, our world at the moment is, is, [6:41] you know, increasingly run by big tech. Um, and it turns out they want an in on some of the, [6:47] these kinds of events. Uh, Mark Zuckerberg was also there. There was a table owned by OpenAI, [6:53] similarly with Snapchat. So it really was, you know, the reason why people are calling it the sort of the, [6:58] the tech Gala rather than the Met Gala. And as I mentioned, you know, we will explain in a little [7:05] bit more depth, uh, some of the controversy, uh, around this year's Met Gala, Yasmin, part of which [7:12] was because of some kind of backlash against where a lot of the funding for this year's Gala came from. [7:20] But just in terms of, because we know that a lot of the things people are searching for today [7:25] is who was there, what were they wearing? I mean, we saw just on screen a few minutes ago, [7:32] some of the co-chairs. We've got, uh, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky just behind you, Yasmin. Not really, [7:38] but on a screen. Uh, I mean, anything else really that you think, you know, stood out? [7:44] I mean, in terms of the outfits, uh, as you mentioned, Rihanna there in Mason Marchiella, [7:48] A$AP Rocky in Chanel. I mean, Chanel was definitely, Matteo Blasi is the man of the moment, [7:53] I think, in fashion. Um, and A$AP Rocky, uh, in addition to Anna Wintour and Nicole Kidman, [7:59] who's one of the co-chairs all in Chanel straight off the runway. And I think, you know, uh, like [8:04] Moenna mentioned, I guess the significance of who is there, what are they wearing or what are they [8:08] representing? They're often as brand ambassadors, as someone who is there, you know, when we talk [8:12] about the sponsorship for these events, it's often the big fashion houses who sponsor the Met Gala. [8:17] But this year, of course, it was, uh, Jeff Bezos, who was the chief sponsor. Um, and I think some [8:22] of the controversy around that is interesting. I mean, Anna Wintour did respond to it and she said, [8:28] you know, Florence Sanchez will be an asset to the event and is grateful to her generosity. [8:33] Also noting that she didn't think the Met Gala could happen almost without their support moving [8:38] to the Costume Institute, obviously using that funding. Um, you know, they've moved to a new [8:42] location. It's interesting that dynamic between fashion, business, politics, power. Another [8:49] interesting layer to that, of course, is New York mayor, uh, often attends, uh, this event, but this [8:55] time, um, the new mayor, Mamdani, wasn't in attendance, um, and instead used, uh, you know, the, [9:03] the evening to raise, uh, you know, the platform for garment workers from New York. [9:07] Yes. He said he'll be not attending and wanting to focus on, quote, afford, affordability in New York. [9:15] We were just seeing some, uh, images on screen of Anna Wintour, of course, a huge figure, [9:22] not only in the world of fashion and her career with Vogue, but also in terms of her control, [9:29] almost, of the Met Gala. Well, it's very interesting, this position that Anna Wintour holds, [9:34] because as the former editor of Vogue, she's now moved into, uh, a position at Condé Nast, [9:40] where the new Vogue editor isn't actually called, uh, the editor-in-chief, uh, just showing how much [9:45] authority and power Anna Wintour has in curating, and not just events like these, but where Condé Nast, [9:51] I believe, is, uh, heading, uh, itself. And I, and I, you know, if we look at her comments regarding, [9:57] uh, sponsorship, the attendees, uh, we also saw some new faces attending, but she really is the, [10:03] uh, the sort of mastermind behind the Met Gala. Yes, uh, and another of the co-chairs, Venus Williams, [10:09] was also asked about the funding, um, of this year's Met Gala, but also some of the protests [10:15] that had been seen, not just on the night itself, uh, but also in the build-up to this year's Met Gala, [10:22] since it was announced, um, that, uh, Jeff Bezos and his wife would be funding the, uh, event. [10:29] There's been various protests. This was outside the event, uh, in, in New York yesterday, but in [10:35] the build-up, there's been various sort of posters and the like seen around the city. Venus Williams [10:40] said she didn't have a problem with the event. That's what she told our, uh, BBC News colleagues [10:45] who were there at the Gala. Um, and of course, there's no kind of exact sort of, no one's said [10:52] specifically if they haven't turned up that this is why. Uh, but I, I mean, briefly explain sort of [10:59] the bigger picture as to why there might be some tension. Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it? I mean, [11:04] I mean, events like these happen as a result of backers. Um, you know, last year it was LBMH, [11:09] um, who are also obviously the brand and, uh, fashion house as it is. It's owned by, you know, [11:15] a hugely wealthy company. You know, Sat Naran were also part of the sponsors, uh, this year, [11:20] but it was, uh, Jeff Bezos who had taken on that chief role and there had actually been [11:24] rumors around a Condé Nast takeover. And I think some of that has spurred on some of the protests [11:30] with regards to their influence, um, and the proximity to power. And I guess, you know, [11:35] how close that relationship is, uh, for an event like this. Um, and interestingly, the head of, uh, [11:40] the Costume Institute at the Met Gala has spoken about independence, uh, and its own position away from, [11:46] uh, you know, uh, any other funding. So the various threads of influence, I mean, [11:52] there were some individuals who weren't there who are regular attendees, but there's nothing to say [11:56] any exact reason why we didn't see someone like Zendaya, for instance, um, her stylist, [12:01] Laura Roach was on the red carpet, but she wasn't. Um, but then in saying that, [12:05] we saw the big return of the lots of big stars as well, like Blake Lively, like Beyonce. Um, [12:10] and the event I think is grappling with itself as a cultural reference point. How significant is the [12:16] Met Gala? Does it, you know, does it still, are people still interested in times of economic [12:22] difficulties at times of global challenges? You know, how relevant, uh, is an event like this, [12:27] even if it is a fundraiser? And an interesting note that I noticed actually on the Vogue website, [12:33] which Anna Wintour has referenced is the Met Gala economy, uh, talking about the types of jobs and [12:39] interests, you know, and what actually New York gains from holding an event like this. But it's [12:44] interesting that they would feel the need to reference that. So Moenna, finally then, I mean, [12:50] obviously you've mentioned some of what are your key takeaways from the event overall. If there was [12:55] one thing that you kind of urge people to go and have a look at one person, one outfit, uh, as they [13:02] kind of scroll through, uh, feeds for the rest of the day, you know, what would it be? What has been [13:06] something that's either put a smile on your face, perhaps? Well, I think the kind of only person [13:11] who really sort of met the brief properly was Bad Bunny, who, uh, seemed to age himself with [13:17] prosthetics. Um, and he wore sort of a custom Zara suit, which is interesting in itself being a kind [13:23] of high street brand. Um, but because it, you know, because the, the dress code was about the body and [13:30] sort of the relevance of the body in fashion and fashion within the body, um, he was the only one [13:36] who kind of seemed to reference aging body. Everybody else kind of wanted to kind of use it as a, as a [13:40] platform to kind of show off their clothes, their rich designers, was he was like, no, this is about [13:45] aging and this is something that we don't really see in fashion. Um, and I think in, you know, many ways [13:50] the Costume Institute is, it is self-financed and it's the only part of the museum that, that is self-financed, [13:55] which is quite telling, uh, about how the art world views fashion, even though most, you know, [14:00] it's one of the most popular positions you have in, in, in museums is art, art museums. I still think, [14:06] you know, it's, it is, it is a very, it's a very important, uh, sort of cultural moment. And, you know, [14:13] as much as I, I feel very critical of Jeff Bezos' involvement in it, I still think it's, you are, [14:18] you should be able to enjoy looking at pictures of glamorous people wearing absurd clothes. [14:23] And there, there are several of those pictures on the screen as you speak. And yeah, Bad Bunny, [14:28] the way he transformed himself was quite, quite incredible as well. Uh, we should say as well, [14:34] nothing directly from Jeff Bezos. We did see his wife, as we've mentioned, uh, on the green carpet. [14:42] Yes. I keep going to say red carpet, but as you can see, uh, it is quite green. But listen, uh, [14:47] Yasmin and Moena, thank you both very much for joining us with some of your hot takes from [14:52] the evening as well. Uh, and we know that you are still looking for pictures and photographs of [14:59] some of your favorite stars. You can do that. If you head to the BBC News website, there is the [15:04] perfect roundup that you can read through and have a look at some of the, the biggest, [15:09] the key looks from the evening that is on the BBC News website. But thank you very much for watching.