The burning question at the 2019 Met Gala, the starry red carpet event that takes place at the Costume Institute in New York on Monday evening, is not about who is going, or which designer they are wearing. Thanks to this year’s theme – “Camp: Notes on Fashion” – it’s about how an intellectual concept famously hard to define will work in a celebrity-driven fashion context. The party marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s themed annual fashion exhibition and has become the style event of the year. Hosted by the US Vogue editor, Anna Wintour, A-list attendees are invited to interpret the exhibition’s theme at will, which this year is based on the 1964 essay, Notes on Camp by Susan Sontag, a 58-point treatise that brought the word and idea into the mainstream. As themes go, it might seem like a logical choice. “Fashion is inherently camp and so is the Met Gala,” says Jane Tynan, a lecturer in fashion at Central St Martins, so where better to ratify an idea rooted in artifice, frivolity, irony and performance than on a red carpet. But while camp appears with regularity in popular culture – director John Waters is expected to appear alongside camp icon Lady Gaga, one of this year’s co-hosts – precisely how guests (or rather their stylists) will translate the concept into a dress or suit has become a hot topic. “To define camp is to kill it. Camp can’t be canonised – if it is, then it dies,” says Dr David Russell, author and associate professor in English at Corpus Christi, Oxford. “Equally camp is not aimed at the mainstream, so [here] it is at risk of thunderously missing the point.” If last year’s Heavenly Bodies theme centred around liturgical vestments inspired by Catholicism, and was seen as brilliant PR by the church but also a source of controversy, then this year’s may well do the latter but for different reasons. Tynan agrees: “The camp theme fits in a strange and intriguing way with the Met Gala in 2019 in that it reflects the failed seriousness of current structures – but one of the criticisms is that there is not sufficient space at a red carpet gala to explore this sufficiently.” Still, the pomp surrounding the Met Gala is suitably high given the theme. Tickets can sell for $30,000 each and a table for $275,000, assuming you make the cut that is – Anna Wintour, the gala’s chair since 1995, draws the seating plan in December and is notorious for exercising the power of veto. Asked if there was anything Donald Trump could do to land an invite this year, she said: “Absolutely nothing.” Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and Serena Williams are confirmed as co-hosts, while the party and exhibition are sponsored by Gucci with all the money from ticket sales going to the Costume Institute. Anna Wintour, the host of the Met Gala 2019, at a press conference for the Costume Institute’s spring 2019 exhibition. Photograph: Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu curator in charge for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute who helps choose the theme, thinks it is less about defining the word and more about opening up a dialogue. “We want to try to explain it, and then invite people to make up their minds,” he says. “It has never lost its ability to be subversive even if it’s mainstream.” Sontag’s essay barely touches on actual fashion – “camp is a woman walking around in a dress made of three million feathers” she writes – but she does outline “the essence of Camp as its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration” and the word itself as “esoteric … a private code”. The worry is that in attempting to turn an abstract idea into an outfit, the wearer risks pushing camp, originally a refuge for marginalised people, even further into the mainstream. “Does that make it controversial? Possibly,” he says. “ But just as with the punk exhibition [in 2013], where some people felt we had betrayed it and that punk didn’t belong in a museum, the point was precisely the co-option of punk by fashion. It’s quite theoretical.” Bolton has toyed with the theme since 2017 but settled on it now because he felt “camp tended to resurface during political and social turmoil, when society is polarised – so of course we’re in a camp moment,” he says. If camp is about failed seriousness and artifice, as Sontag claims, then “Trump lends himself well to it, as does Theresa May, and as did Thatcher”. It’s also, he says, a bit of “light relief”. Camp icon Lady Gaga, a Met Gala 2019 co-host, is expected to appear alongside John Waters. Photograph: Christopher Polk/Rex/Shutterstock For the first time in its history the exhibition will be divided into two parts: the first room will trace the etymological origin of camp, the second will look at the different modes of representation and how they play out in fashion. “One is a whispering gallery, the second like an echo chamber.” Appearing in the exhibition – and likely on the red carpet itself in homage – are Paul Poiret’s comically shaped “lampshade” dress, Virgil Abloh’s irony-laden “little black dress” dress and a Franco Moschino chemise emblazoned with a question mark which closes the exhibition, “the idea being that camp is a question mark”, says Bolton. How “camp fashion” will appear on the red carpet is typically shrouded in secrecy, but alongside these designers, pieces by Mary Quant, Schiaparelli and Jean Paul Gaultier are predicted to make an appearance. Part of camp’s relevance in 2019 is Sontag’s approach to challenging nominative conventions of gender and the heightening of gender codes. “The androgyne is certainly one of the great images of Camp sensibility,” wrote Sontag. For the first time it seems the Met has chosen a theme aimed as much at men as women. “I expect we’ll see women in suits, men in dresses, and everything in between,” says Bolton.<doc-sep>And showing everyone how it was done at the very start of the night was singer Lady Gaga, who arrived in a billowing pink outfit which was not quite what it seemed at first glance.<doc-sep>Monday night's Met Gala event was magical! Like, actually magical. Even though all the celebrities arrived seemingly dressed for the night's "Camp" theme, many of the stars turned out for the event actually looking like Disney characters. Maybe because some of them once were? From Cole Sprouse, an actual former Disney Star, to Zendaya, also a former Disney star (who literally lost a glass slipper on the red carpet), Mickey Mouse was one proud dad Monday night. Below, see your childhood faves come to life: Zendaya as Cinderella Getty + Everett Don't worry Zendaya, my bedtime is also midnight. Katy Perry as Lumière from Beauty and the Beast Getty + Everett Be our guest, be our guest. Put our service to the test. Tie your napkin 'round your neck, and we'll provide the rest. OK, you get it. Cole Sprouse as Pinnochio Getty + Everett If he says his name is Dylan, his nose will grow. Ryan Murphy as Sebastian from The Little Mermaid Getty + Everett Mr. Krabs could never. Charli XCX as Belle from Beauty and the Beast Getty + Everett When you show up as the BELLE of the ball. Violet Chachki as Ursula from The Little Mermaid Getty + Everett Would trade my voice in for this look. Kendall and Kylie Jenner as the Step Sisters from Cinderella Getty + Everett Keeping Up With Kinderella. Madelaine Petsch as Tinker Bell from Peter Pan Getty + Everett Give me attention or I, too, will die. Chloe Hall Beauty Director Chloe Hall oversees all beauty coverage at ELLE.com. Madison Feller Madison is a staff writer at ELLE.com, covering news, politics, and culture. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>As some of the biggest celebrities stepped out for the 2019 Met Gala, many fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the pink carpet action. From sassy to hysterical, scroll through to take a look at all of the best Twitter reactions and memes from fashion's big night. Chrissy Teigen and a few other celebrities didn't walk the pink carpet, but they still trolled the annual celebration in the most perfect way possible. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. I have arrived pic.twitter.com/zPHlRCTttZ — chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) May 6, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Had so much fun at the #metgala last night! pic.twitter.com/hnvM2XasR7 — Topher Grace (@TopherGrace) May 7, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Twitter even edited in some unexpected substitutes just for laughs. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Jared Leto was undoubtedly committed to recreating a Gucci runway moment for the Met Gala, and things got a little saucy on Twitter. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Everyone is a Disney character at #MetGala , and then there is Jared Leto pic.twitter.com/TgumOuYxf4 — 9GAG (@9GAG) May 7, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Jared Leto showing the other boys what camp is #METGala pic.twitter.com/EAS6xy7gJy — femme fatale (@eliesaaab) May 6, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. i cant belive jared leto killed russel brand for the met gala https://t.co/du0HT6pWx5 — STREAM SAWAYAMA (@10twenty40) May 6, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. When Harry Styles—Leto's fellow Gucci fanboy and one of this year's co-hosts—arrived to the pink carpet, the Internet quickly put in work and churned out some golden tweets. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. everyone: the face of gucci & the most anticipated met fashion star, harry styles, entering the gucci after-party: pic.twitter.com/PIsFhD1lmR — tay 👼🏼 (@taylahemilyy) May 7, 2019 Kendall and Kylie Jenner's vibrant Versace numbers drew plenty of comparisons to three other sets of famous sisters. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. I think it’s so sweet and iconic of kendall and kylie to pay homage to this cinematic excellence #MetGala pic.twitter.com/lwzjAxOlYP — 🦴 (@pescatarianslut) May 7, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. If Kendall and Kylie did get inspo from Hattie and Olive from Ella Enchanted IM NOT EVEN MAD #MetGala pic.twitter.com/SILfOtWQNS — no please (@sorrysprinkles) May 7, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Billy Porter's golden Egyptian pharaoh inspired look was so elaborate, it received plenty of love from the Twittersphere. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. After you send an email with “per my last email” in it. pic.twitter.com/MArj5jVUaf — maybe: Phillip (@MajorPhilebrity) May 6, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. when you see billy porter pic.twitter.com/Oa5W3aEvAg — Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) May 6, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. i'm a gay hotep now pic.twitter.com/vJWy3Gpgab — giabuchi lastrassi (@jaboukie) May 6, 2019 Kanye West kept it extremely casual and comfortable in his Dickies, and not everyone was feeling his basic outfit. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. proud of kanye for wearing full blue collar face at the met gala — L.A.S. (@SartoriallyInc) May 7, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. still stanning kanye cosplaying as a white non-college educated voter at the met gala — L.A.S. (@SartoriallyInc) May 7, 2019 This content is imported from Twitter.<doc-sep>
This year's Met Gala theme Camp: Notes on Fashion was made to be memed and the good people of the internet did not disappoint. From a surprise appearance from Sharpay to Rihanna disguised as Anna Wintour, here are the best tweets and memes from the 2019 Met Gala. Hit that RT button! The red carpet arrivals BAI frank ocean lookin like he’s about to turn away my ID at a bar in boston — hunter harris (@hunteryharris) May 6, 2019 That's not wicked awesome. Go Pats. We should all be Lady Gaga. Billy Potter. Zendaya ran from them at the gala. Never met a carb we didn't love. Me leaving class without learning a damn thing #METGala pic.twitter.com/u9dv7enmlJ — 🦋 (@nando_xcx) May 6, 2019 A++++. Sharpay looked amazing last night. I just know Lizzie McGuire is going to kill it tonight at the #MetGala pic.twitter.com/QTQ4PhChFu — Avery Thompson (@avery__thompson) May 6, 2019 Sing to me, Paolo! *On all moodboards. Why does she look like a croissant #MetGala pic.twitter.com/pJprht3FWy — Caitlyn (@catosaurusmgc) May 7, 2019 A tasteful lewk. Puffy Shirt Energy™. Don't think A Rod took this photo. There can be 100 people in a room... Get in loser, we're going to the Met Gala. Paws up, little monsters. when you have to go to the #METgala at 5 but hang in the middle of a Tiffany’s at 5:30 pic.twitter.com/YsPWGOwO97 — jaime vega (@jaimeehaw) May 6, 2019 It's lit. Ice and Fire are back! On those who chose not to attend Stunning. BREAKING NEWS: Rihanna won’t be attending this year’s #MetGala after a back injury sustained from carrying the entire weight of the event for years. — 𝗔𝗘𝗥𝗢 (@aeroyonghusband) May 7, 2019 Thinking of her. <3 2016 vs 2017 vs 2018 vs 2019. The variety! #Rihanna kills it every year 🔥#MetGala pic.twitter.com/rSPFsmMmLO — Soccer Mom (@soccermothers) May 7, 2019 So versatile. Omg Rihanna went disguised as Anna Wintour https://t.co/K1i6RLZZx4 — cam🦋 (@CosmeticCam) May 7, 2019 Daniel Day-Lewis could never! Chloe Hall Beauty Director Chloe Hall oversees all beauty coverage at ELLE.com.