Kicking out the Kardashians: Why The Fam Might Not be Attending Met Gala 2023
We are barely a month away from the first Monday in May. One of the most important nights for fashion and the Metropolitan Museum of Art: the infamous Met Gala. A night intended to raise funds for the Met’s Costume Institute. It has simply snuck upon us! It is almost time for us to become renowned fashion critics judging every attendee's appearance for a single day. But rumor has it that some of Calabasas’ finest might have gotten their invites lost in the mail. If you have not heard by now, where have you been? The Kardashians are alleged to have been exiled from the Met by Ms. Wintour and angered the Met’s Costume Institute curators; here’s the why.
Initially, an article released by Page Six in early March stated that sources had come forward confirming the floating suspicion of Vogue mogul Anna Wintour's plans to shave off a couple of celebs from the gala guest list, excluding the Kardash-Klan. This is not the first time we hear about presumed Anna Wintour v. Kardashian beef over the Met Gala. It is suspected that before their debut at the famous event, Anna had a decade-long distaste for the prominent family. Kim Kardashian was practically black-listed until her ex brought her along as a plus one. Regardless of her opinions, Kimberly’s appearance with Kanye while pregnant in her infamous Givenchy floral dress shifted pop culture in a direction it has never since left.
The former power couple was featured on the cover of 2014 U.S. Vogue in one of this decade's most iconic U.S. Vogue editorial shoots. According to Grazia news, Wintour admitted after its release that this family was simply “the conversation of the day.” Little did we know that being a date would catapult Kim into a well-renowned position in the fashion industry. Kim, from then on, graced the Met carpet frequently as her influential family’s popularity grew and has contributed significantly to providing the Met Gala coverage through her controversial/iconic looks.
But while controversy has benefited the family’s influential status in the past, the feedback received after Kim wore Marilyn Monroe’s original happy birthday dress at last year’s Met was anything but advantageous. Textile manufacturers and fashion curators were shocked when Kim stepped out wearing Monroe's entire archive Jean Louis “Happy Birthday” Dress instead of a replica for the 2022 Met Gala. The main issue costume conservators have with this statement is that status and wealth can overrule the preservation and safety of a historical artifact. Met’s Costume Institute now faces the pressure of lending out garments to essential people with power.
The “Happy Birthday” dress is the most expensive dress sold in the auction. It has been recognized as a part of America’s cultural heritage. It has remained openly untouched due to its high value, another reason for many consumer conservators’ collective disbelief. As stated in an article on this incident published by LA Times last year, Monroe's dress consists of a delicate stretchy material known as souffle, which loses its flexibility and becomes brittle with age. While Kardashian herself didn’t cause any real damage to the dress at first glance, inevitable factors, including sunlight, oxygen, and sweat, were harmful threats to the dress. Garment conservators constantly work to provide the piece with proper conditions to prolong its journey to see the next generation.
To showcase her gratitude, Kim paid an undisclosed amount of money to Ripley’s Believe It or Not and promised to donate to selected charities. The company publicly stated that Kim added to the garment’s legacy. But this situation has given conservators and fashion curators a bad taste in their Met mouths. I mean, would you agree with the actions of someone that contradict your moral beliefs? I didn’t think so; with that being said, I highly doubt this incident will indefinitely ban this family from the event. Sure, Wintour and the Met’s Costume curators most likely are annoyed by the famous family’s company, but money talks and wealth whispers! Kim and the girls simply bring far too much press for that to work, but how long can Anna and the Met keep up the Kardashian controversy? No doubt we will get an answer on the first Monday of May!
Strike out,
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Gael-Lynn Laguerre
Gael Laguerre is the baddest writer for Strike Magazine Boca. She’s a textbook Aquarius: super hyper-independent but also super hot. In her free time, she enjoys music festivals, writing sad poetry, and oversharing on twitter. You can reach her by lgaellynn@gmail.com or Instagram @gael.lynn
