Did Kim Kardashian Inspire the Met Gala Theme?

Graphic by Emily Ulfig

With a guest list full of celebrities wearing unique styles, an extraordinary exhibit each year, and multiple appearances in movies featuring Anne Hathaway, the Met Gala is considered one of the most anticipated events of the year. The Met Gala is an annual charity event hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, dedicated to raising money for the museum’s Costume Institute. However, the Met Gala is perhaps best known for the A-list celebrities in attendance and their unique looks to fit the gala’s theme. 

After a much-anticipated wait, the 2024 Met Gala Theme was finally unveiled: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art explains that this year’s theme ties to an exhibition centered around connecting historic articles of clothing to a sensual experience, allowing museum-goers to experience the pieces in a new light. 

While this exhibition and its respective theme are notable for a plethora of reasons: the innovative technology making the exhibit possible, the fact that countless pieces have never been on display, and the sheer grandeur of the exhibit itself, perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this exhibit is the attention drawn to the fact that these costumes are too fragile and priceless to be displayed vertically, much less ever being worn again.

The moment the Met used this description for the pieces in the exhibition, I, and many others, immediately recalled the 2022 Met Gala, when Kim Kardashian broke the internet for all the wrong reasons. During the Gala, Kim Kardashian sported an original one-of-a-kind gown worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang Happy Birthday to President Kennedy. 

While the dress was already shrouded in scandal due to the nature of the occasion for which Monroe wore it, the Kardashian sister wearing the custom gown ignited anger among collectors, Monroe fans, and the fashion industry as a whole. This outrage was primarily due to concerns about the historical garment’s integrity. As well as Marilyn Monroe’s explicit desire during the design process that the garment be a dress only she could wear.

This controversy only grew more intense after pictures emerged that highlighted the damage to the dress, particularly around the back zipper of the garment. Although the lender—the Ripley Believe It or Not Museum—denies that any damage occurred, it remains a disputed topic. Eventually, the controversy dwindled to a one-off joke in the new American Horror Story season. Yet, the recent announcement has revived discussions around the Marilyn Monroe dress, with some even believing that the decision is a direct dig at Kim Kardashian’s 2022 outfit choice.

But could this be the reason for the Met Gala theme? While Andrew Bolton, head curator for the Costume Institute and lead for planning the Met Gala exhibit theme, will certainly never address the rumor, it is a definite possibility. Although the gala themes are often researched years in advance, Bolton has explained that sometimes, their plan can change if new circumstances arise. 

While we will probably never truly know whether the 2024 theme is a dig at Kim Kardashian, praise, or a complete coincidence, the fact remains that Kim’s choice has irrevocably influenced the collection of historical costumes, fashion, and the Met Gala as a whole.