by By: Gabrielle Gibson
The first Monday in May is the most iconic day of the year for those that love fashion. The Met Gala attracts celebrities and designers all across the globe while viewers tune in anxiously, waiting to see what their favorite star is wearing. However, in recent years, influencers have dominated the event, shifting the focus away from celebrities. But where were the influencers at the 2023 Met Gala?
The Met Gala is a high-end event that showcases the latest fashion trends and designs. A-list celebrities walk the carpet and show off the designer they wear for the night. But, this drastically changed when influencers got invited, using this event to gain followers and create a bigger name. However, influencers might have to kiss the Met Gala goodbye.
Last year, editor-in-chief of Vogue and hostess of the Met Gala, Anna Wintour, received backlash for pouring the red carpet with YouTubers and TikTokers, and it seems she took this backlash into consideration. Wintour was told she loosened up too much on the invite list when she invited influencers like Chiara Ferragni, Liza Koshy, Lilly Singh, James Charles, Addison Rae, NikkieTutorials, Dixie D’Amelio, and Avani Gregg. However, all of these well-known influencers were not in attendance at this year’s Met Gala. Instead, the 2023 Met Gala was filled with A-listers, such as actors and musicians, without a single site of an influencer.
Many argue Wintour will continue to keep clear of influencers because of the argument of what influencers did to the event, diluting its importance and prestige. The event is about showcasing fashion, trends, and designs, not generating followers. The last thing the Met Gala needs is a question about relevance and if it’s impacting the fashion industry because it certainly is.
The first Monday in May is a holiday in the fashion world. The hard work, dedication, and time each outfit takes are all worth it when these celebrities walk the carpet. While influencers at events became a trend, the Met Gala appears to be stopping that. However, many could argue that influencers like Addison Rae and Dixie D’amelio, with almost 90 million followers on TikTok, have reached A-list celebrity titles and deserve the invite. Today’s world is all about social media and influencers, with many of them surpassing A-list celebrity follower counts. With many more Met Galas to come, seeing Wintour’s direction and the process behind the invite list will be interesting.
This was a good read. I always look forward to seeing who attends the Met and what they’re wearing. I remember hearing a rumor before the event that the Kardashian/Jenners weren’t going to be invited this year. Although that wasn’t completely true, only Kim, Kylie, and Kendall attended… Wonder where Kris was lol.
I really find the topic of all things Met Gala to be interesting. I have always been curious about the invitation process and what it takes to be able to go. Before reading your post I hadn’t even realized the lack of influencers and social media stars at the event this year. On another note I am also extremely curious as to why Blake Lively was a no show? Great post!
Hi!
I really enjoyed reading your article and opinion on the Met Gala. I always find it interesting when young influencers start getting invited to A-list events. It always seems like a crossover that never should have happened. I do agree that having an influencer invite list does dilute the importance and prestige. An event such as the Met Gala should remain solely for the A-list celebrities, not influencers because otherwise it will not be taken as seriously. This is unfortunate for an event that raises as much money and awareness as the Met.
I would pay a lot of money to have this same conversation with Anna Wintour about influencers at the Met. Although I agree that the Met isn’t a “follower grab” but for influencers like NikkieTutorials— who is a huge activist for trans rights, it is important for her to walk the carpet and bring attention to trans rights. It is a fine line, and I am curious to see what next year entails after a no-influencer Met.
I really enjoyed reading your article! I find the Met Gala so interesting, especially the guest list. I’ve always been curious about the criteria considered when creating the guest list. I think excluding influencers from the invite list and strictly inviting top celebrities will keep the prestigious reputation of the gala. I remember hearing about the possibility of the Kardashians not receiving an invite, in addition to hearing that Anna Wintour would be limiting the guest list, so I was surprised to see Kim, Kylie and Kendall in attendance.