From banning selfies to setting age limits, the Met Gala introduces unusual guidelines for its attendees

The Met Gala 2024, set to occur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, promises to dazzle with its “The Garden of Time” theme. This theme draws inspiration from JG Ballard’s 1962 short story and corresponds to the Costume Institute’s new exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” featuring 50 historical pieces. As the fashion world anticipates this glamorous event, attendees must adhere to a set of distinctive rules curated by Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, and her team.

One of the most talked-about regulations is the prohibition of selfies and social media usage inside the gala. Initiated in 2015, this rule aims to keep the focus on the event itself rather than digital distractions. Despite past instances of this rule being ignored, such as Kylie Jenner’s famous bathroom selfie in 2017, the gala maintains its stance to preserve the evening’s exclusivity and intimacy.

Another notable rule is the age restriction, disallowing individuals under 18 from attending. This decision underscores the gala’s environment as unsuitable for minors, a sentiment reinforced after model Maddie Ziegler, then 16, expressed her inability to attend due to her age.

Additionally, the gala strictly enforces a no-smoking policy within the museum. This rule came into sharper focus after several celebrities were spotted smoking in the museum’s bathroom in 2017, leading to backlash from the museum’s board members and donors who found it disrespectful to the art collection.

The culinary choices at the gala also reflect meticulous planning, with items like onion, garlic, and parsley omitted to avoid bad breath and the risk of food stuck in teeth. These decisions, seemingly minor, are made to ensure that all guests can interact comfortably and look their best throughout the evening.

Moreover, the seating arrangements during the gala are carefully orchestrated to facilitate networking and ensure that guests have the opportunity to engage with new and interesting individuals. Spouses are typically not seated together to encourage mingling and the forging of new connections.

Analysis

Politically, the Met Gala’s rules reflect a microcosm of broader societal norms and control, showcasing how elite spaces govern behaviour through explicit and implicit codes. Socially, these rules also highlight the boundaries of celebrity culture and exclusivity, reinforcing the status of the Met Gala as a premier cultural event where decorum and prestige are paramount.

Psychologically, the strict rules may enhance the allure and mystique of the gala, making adherence to these norms a part of the evening’s excitement and exclusivity. Sociologically, the seating arrangements and ban on younger guests reflect strategic social engineering, ensuring that the event facilitates high-level networking and social interactions among established figures in the fashion and entertainment industries.

The Met Gala, therefore, not only serves as a celebration of fashion but also as an orchestrated event where social, cultural, and behavioural norms are both displayed and reinforced, offering a fascinating glimpse into the dynamics of high society.