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The One Met Gala Celeb Tradition You Probably Never Thought About

The One Met Gala Celeb Tradition You Probably Never Thought About
Image credit: Legion-Media

Who is really paying for Met Gala tickets?

The days are counting down to the biggest fashion event of the year — the Met Gala, which will take place on May 1.

This year, the organizers decided to pay tribute to the iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away in 2019. However, the event's focus on the controversial designer isn't the only reason why the Met Gala has been making a lot of headlines lately.

Page Six recently reported some behind-the-scenes details about the charity fundraiser that shocked many fans. The outlet's anonymous sources revealed that it's not so easy to get into the gala, as host Anna Wintour handpicks each attendee and the ticket price has nearly doubled from $30,000 last year to $50,000 in 2023. In addition, the insider said, the stars just have to attend, or they risk never being invited again.

While such a price increase may seem too drastic, there is no need to worry about the celebrities who have to pay that much just to stay relevant. The one Met Gala tradition that many people may not know is that public figures rarely pay for themselves. In fact, for many stars, the Met Gala is a business event.

As a rule, they don't own the clothes they wear because they are in attendance with a fashion house that dresses them and pays for their ticket in exchange for press coverage.

Having celebrities as walking billboards modeling their clothes at one of the most watched events of the year — clearly, that's a great marketing opportunity for fashion companies. Many of the Met Gala outfits go viral, so the brands get a chance to remind people about themselves.

The cost of the Met Gala ticket can therefore be considered part of the marketing budget of fashion brands, and $50,000 is not a huge sum for large companies. Besides, the marketing budget comes from the profits made from selling the clothes. So the real people paying for Met Gala tickets are actually the customers of the fashion brands. And they usually know that they are paying for a brand when they buy a high-priced outfit.

The Met Gala will take place on May 1, 2023, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Cable viewers can watch the event on either NBC or E! beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST. For others, it will be live-streamed on Vogue's website and digital platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Source: Page Six