Met Gala 2022: How to watch, everything to know as the stars take on 'Gilded Glamour' theme

Elise Brisco, USA TODAY
·5 min read

Invitations have been sent, the custom gowns and outfits are selected and the stars are ready to dazzle photographers on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art at this year's Met Gala.

The gala is an annual fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute and calls on designers to adorn stars, models and sometimes influencers in the fashions of a selected theme to match a wing of the museum's exhibit. This year's exhibit is a continuation of last year's theme of American fashion and will include "cinematic vignettes" created by top Hollywood directors congruent with the "In America: An Anthology of Fashion” theme.

While each year the event, largely considered the Oscars of fashion, has selected co-hosts and honorary hosts, Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has been at the helm of the Met ball since 1995 curating a tight-knit invite list, seating arrangement and dress code — which is gilded glamour.

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Last year's Met Gala, though pared down, occurred in September after being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Stars including Frank Ocean, Kim Kardashian, then-co-chair Billie Eilish and many more showed up with their take on "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion."

Back on schedule on the first Monday in May, the 2022 Met Gala is expected to be a larger event as high-profile celebrities circle around to show off their best Gilded Age looks (thank you, HBO, for the style inspiration).

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Ahead of the grand event, here's all to know about fashion's biggest night.

When is the 2022 Met Gala?

The Met Gala will take place Monday, May 2, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's the first time the museum has seen the in-person fundraising event at its scheduled time since May 6, 2019. In 2020 the exhibit went virtual, and in 2021 it took place in September.

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How can I watch the Met Gala?

Keke Palmer, who was one of the hosts for the 2021 Met Gala, kept audiences engaged with commentary.
Keke Palmer, who was one of the hosts for the 2021 Met Gala, kept audiences engaged with commentary.

Vogue, owned by one of the Met Gala sponsors Condé Nast, will be live streaming the event on its website starting at 6 p.m. ET. LaLa Anthony, Vanessa Hudgens and fashion journalist Hamish Bowles will sit as co-hosts as they interview the stars and designers upon their arrival.

E! News will also host two live streams with their TikTok stream that will capture celebrities as they leave from The Mark Hotel, a popular launching point for the invitees. The entertainment outlet will also host red carpet coverage on "Live from E!" beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

What is the Met Gala 2022 theme?

For the gala itself, attendees will be asked to dress in white tie and "gilded glamour," referring to late 1800s America that was led by industrialization and innovation. While we don't have any sneak peeks of the outfits to come we can expect gold embellishments, excessive ruffles, velvet, tulle, undergarment bustiers and corsets.

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The Met Gala's official theme "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" is slightly different from last year's "Lexicon of Fashion" theme anddisplay.

September's "lexicon" portion of the museum featured "approximately 100 men’s and women’s ensembles by a diverse range of designers from the 1940s to the present" while according to the museum's website, the May opening will feature garments dating back to the 18th century with "vignettes installed in select period rooms."

HBO's "The Gilded Age" set forth a great example of this year's Met Gala dress code.
HBO's "The Gilded Age" set forth a great example of this year's Met Gala dress code.

Who are the Met Gala co-chairs?

Director and actress Regina King, Hollywood's favorite couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and director and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda will serve as co-chairs of the 2022 Met Gala.

The actors and moviemakers are taking a turn in the Met Gala spotlight as the theme will have a focus on film. Star museum curator Andrew Bolton said eight directors will create what he calls “cinematic vignettes” in the period rooms of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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King, Sofia Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Chloé Zhao, Tom Ford, Janicza Bravo, Julie Dash and Autumn de Wilde will be key parts of launching the exhibit.

Ford, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and Wintour will continue their Met Gala roles as honorary co-chairs.

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Who can we expect to attend Met Gala?

Well, the invite list is typically kept top secret. The gala's co-chairs King, Lively, Reynolds, Miranda and the live stream co-hosts are almost certain to be present.

Other stars have been mum's the word about their presence. When asked about the event in an interview with The Cut, influencer and entrepreneur Lori Harvey replied: "Oooo, am I? We shall see, we shall see."

Zendaya, who was named CFDA's 2021 fashion icon and who has taken the Met ball carpet by storm in years past, has confirmed to Extra TV that for the second year in a row she will not be at the gala.

"Sorry to disappoint my fans here, but I will be working," she said. "I'll be back eventually."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Met Gala 2022: Gilded Glamour theme details, attendees, how to watch