Without looking it up, try to remember what the theme of this year’s Met Gala was. Try to remember who the celebrity hosts were. Can you do it? Can you even remember? I couldn’t. I think that’s partly because every day in Trump’s America seems like a lifetime and an event in May seems like it happened 30 years ago, in another era. I also think that this year’s Met Gala was pretty boring overall. In 2016, we got Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston. At this year’s Met Gala, we got… Katy Perry and barely anyone going with the theme. Fun fact: the 2017 Met Gala hosts were Katy, Gisele and Tom Brady. The theme was Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons. Well, guess what? Next year’s Met Gala is gonna be LIT.
With the Met Gala just six months away, Vogue revealed Amal Clooney, Rihanna and Donatella Versace are set to host this year’s soiree. The fashion magazine also announced the 2018 show title: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.”
Considered one of the biggest nights in fashion, the New York-based event will be held on May 7, 2018—so mark your calendars. Clooney, Rihanna and Versace are taking over the hosting duties from Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady.
Having Rihanna as the hostess of the Met Gala is pretty obvious: she’s a long-time attendee and she always, always brings it. She pays attention to the theme, she researches the theme and she always gets the theme dead right. Plus, Rihanna is everything and she should be part of the establishment, which is what “hosting the Met Gala” is all about. As for Amal Clooney as host… well, that’s interesting. Interesting that it’s not Amal AND George. Amal loves fashion, that is clear, but I do wonder how she was chosen…?
As for next year’s theme… it’s like it was tailor-made for Madonna. I’m imagining a lot of lace and crucifixes.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
So what do you think the odds are of celebrities managing to follow the theme…without offending someone? Should be interesting to see anyway.
Very high indeed!
As long as no-one shows up wearing a high-fashion take on a Catholic schoolgirl outfit, I’ll call it a job well done. Mind you, considering all of the scandal around the Catholic church lately, the theme itself is already questionable.
It’s a nice theme and obviously connects to Middle Age and the influence Catholic church hold over art back in then. But, as we all know, people will show up half naked in crucifixes, which is very ironic to the church, not being able to set fire (literally) to this type of expression.
I would love to see someone in a sort of Ava Gardner’s pretino dress by Sorelle Fontana
Amal has terrible style IMO. She’s practically a WAG!
I agree. The plastic surgery helped her, but Amal’s style always looks like she’s in a constant state of garish cosplay.
Now Rihanna, I’m excited about.😊😎
RhiRhi I totally understand. amal? o God no! I’m embarrassed for her. She is one of the most uninteresting, in her choices of fashion, people out there. She’s bland. Boring. Basic. Unimaginative. Rigid.
curious if a donation was involved to add her??
I like Amal’s style! Rihanna’s also. Donatella should finish the mix nicely.
RIH RIH yassssss
i am dancing
As someone who went to Catholic school when I was younger, and has a morbid fascination with Catholicism and human expression, I was excited for the theme…
And then I remembered the guest list has been trash for a while, and of those who do go only 3% of those who do go manage to stay on theme, and then I got sad smh. Will be interested to see what Rihanna chooses to wear though.
The Clooney show. This whole concept is gone, it was supposed to be fashion meets art not famous people hanging out with Wintour.
Why is Amal there? Why was Blake Lively there? Who knows. But memes will be nice.
Rihanna as host, finally!
Amal’s a weird choice, but she’s also way more into fashion than most of the people chosen to be hosts, so whatever, fine with it. Could do without Donatella though, and I hope Rihanna doesn’t end up in Versace.
Seriously though, if Rihanna and Solange just alternated as hosts every year that’d be ideal.
I’m looking forward to this one. One of the few reasons I still attend mass is the catholic aesthetic. I love the pageantry.
Having attended a Catholic high school where sexual abuse of students was rampant, and where the Archdiocese of Baltimore suppressed the abuse and the knowledge of it, I find the theme irresponsible and in extremely poor taste.
I agree. Considering all that’s happened within the Catholic Church, why would it be a good subject for pageantry?
Because that’s like saying they shouldn’t have done “China through the looking glass” because of the multitude of human rights violations in China. Its a museum exhibit celebrating Catholic imagery and art, likely from time periods significantly before the current scandal.
I see it as not so much glorifying the Catholic church and its controversy but the aesthetic of Catholicism through the years…especially the art throughout the ages. I’m Catholic and [still] disgusted by what occurred however to shut it down and cancel Catholicism as a whole is not rational but hey! You do You and don’t click on articles/pics of next year’s gala.
Having attended Catholic school where sexual abuse of students wasn’t rampant, I think it’s a very interesting theme.
Let’s hope for imagination and actual reflection on the theme. The Catholic Church is a universal church, not a North American one. Her aesthetic is so much richer than some of the elements being mentioned which bear little inherent connection to the church per se or the church’s aesthetic at all. Therefore, I hope we do not see any Madonna (ie Louise Ciccone) or school girl outfits. Boring and lacking imagination.
I love how bold and experimental Rihanna is with her fashion. I would legit buy a coffee table book of it.
And I expect to see a lot of Valentino and D&G here.
Lots of 90s inspired D&G! 90s Versace!
I love the choice of the two chair women, but I am a bit sceptic about the theme. It will be very difficult to do this without offending the catholic church, which deserves the same respect as any other religion out there. I do not want to see Insta models swathed in priest like robes or wearing crucifixes etc. I assume a lot of people will stay away from the theme which makes it pointless. And then will we have the see through dresses etc, which do not fit an evening honouring a religion?
This will be a mess.
And i am calling dibs on Rihanna looking like an incarnated Madonna.
It’s not an event honouring a religion, it’s an event exploring the theme of Catholicism through art/fashion. That’s very much not the same thing.
+1
Lame. Lady Gaga did this theme with her Born This Way Album and gave the Church both the respect and criticism it deserves. She’ll rock the theme of she goes next year, but it’s old.
Madonna has not only lost her sense of making good music but also her sense of style. Her last great MET appearance was 2014. Although nobody can do fashion and Catholicism better than her, she already reached the peak of OTT symbolism during her COADF tour when she was literally on a disco cross. Unless she’s going to enter the MET Gala carrying one, I don’t see how she can bring anything controversial or new to the table. Especially not when her and tacky ass Jeremy Scott are besties. Madonna and JPG from the early to mid- 90s are the only team that could bring it at the MET.
Plus we have Madonna lite Lady Gaga who carried on the torch of OTT symbolism and she’s more relevant with the younger crowd.
Although I understand these host choices for the MET, I feel like Amal is not that relevant with the general public. She’s a barrister with a good fashion style and a celeb husband, not sure how she connects with the younger audience they’re trying to reach (her vs Rihanna is a big difference in type of fame). Amal’s style is quirky at best, never controversial. How could she? She has a real life job, she’s not here to ‘entertain’ as such. I do admire her for having a unique style, before she got with Clooney, which shows off her personality. She’s not here to be sexy but she is with her mature, different and confident sense of style.
As for Rihanna: I get it she’s beautiful and she brings fashion to the table. Anybody would be able to do that with her money and team. And yeah she is ‘it’ because of the confidence she exudes while doing her thing…but that’s all there is. She’s not that great at performing, she often bores herself live (intoxicated or doesn’t move) and her beauty excuses her worst character traits for most people. I’m not here for putting people like her on a pedestal because she’s presented in a beautiful wrapper. Authentic wise, I prefer Amal but the younger demographic (under 25) for sure see Rihanna as ‘aspiration’. No thanks.
Amal Clooney and Donatella Versace for ‘Catholic Imagination’ makes about as much sense as Tom Brady and Gisele for Commes des Garcons.
This should be interesting. With that theme, there’s all sorts of potential for attendees to outrage Catholics and it’s guaranteed that that one guy from the so-called “Catholic League” will blow his top off. That’s his raison d’etre, after all.
The art and imagery of the Catholic Church is separate from the actual Catholic Church, and represents MANY of the world’s greatest works of art – after all, the Church was the single biggest patron of the arts for centuries in Europe. However, the Met Ball is the same event who translated ‘the technology of fashion’ to mean ‘robots’ so I’m a little horrified to think about what’s going to be worn next May.
Yes! The Renaissance alone, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Boticelli, Titian, Caravaggio… basically all of them. The architecture – romanesque, gothic, baroque – the crafts, sculpting, painting, gilding, marquetterie, mosaic, stained glass, embroidery, tannery, book binding… Also Medieval arts. Everything.
I’m atheist, but really enjoy religious (all religions) art and history. It’s fascinating to see how it’s influenced morality.
I wonder if they are looking to interprete Eastern church only and completely ignore the Western church.
We must use different terms in the US and the UK, because around here I would have guessed that it will be all traditional Western (ie, Italian) iconography,
Oops Bridget. You are right. I mixed my directions. Meant Western(Italy) NOT Eastern(Russian Orthodox).
That theme is pretty much every Dolce & Gabbana collection since forever. Katy Perry wore an appropriate D&G outfit for this theme to the 2013 Met Ball.
Expecting a lot of dolce and Prada
I envision TONS of interpretations of the virgin Mary and ethereal robes. I also imagine not all will be respectful or entirely flattering. Excited as there so many ways this can go! 🙂
I’m putting money on someone showing up in a sheer nun’s habit with a corset and stockings underneath. Cross shaped pasties are optional…
Lol
Riri…YES
Will SJP show up?
They should gotten Jude Law as the Young Pope. He rocks !!
I’m still a practicing Catholic and honestly this whole thing has my guard up. I’m not super into religious iconography being used as a fashion statement. I’m all for Renaissance-inspired frocks. Not as into sexy Mary costumes.
That being said, I think fashion-wise, it will be beautiful and pretty epic, by Met Gala standards (honestly it has me yawning more years than not).
Can’t stand Amal. Nobody seems to want to say it but she’s proven herself to be superficial, vapid, and lightweight. If they were serious about doing good in this world as a power couple they wouldn’t be using their fame to promote endless couture lines after endless accessories and shoes and bags. That Amal Clooney style blog tracks everything she wears in public from shoes to earrings, with prices, and I’m serious when I say she’s Imelda Marcos II. It’s one thing to enjoy fashion; it’s another to constantly parade a million dollar wardrobe and play up to the publicity by very visibly living an ‘80s bonfire of the vanities type of materialistic lifestyle. On par with the kardashians. But they’re friends with equally thirsty and vapid Cindy and rande so no surprise. I note George has come to his senses and is not running for office, as the other blog post quotes him saying. Good thing. Live your life but don’t constantly contradict your humanitarian couple thing with broadcasting your private jet and insatiable for couture lifestyle. Imelda Marcos II.
I’m very excited!!! Something fun to look forward to! Rihanna will definitely BRING IT, and I have more optimism about Amal since her Halloween costume. 🙂
Amal hosting the MET is just weird. She really wants the celebrity status.
This is a terrible theme and in very poor taste. My nail polish was named with more care and interest.
Why can’t fashion as art be more inclusive – e.g., Spiritual Threads through the Ages? Or less inclusive – e.g., Tribal Influences in Fashion. Or try to create understanding – e.g., Islam in Muslin?
This white-bred, bloated, old guard Catholik appropriation will be a mess, and not even an interesting one.
If I recall George Clooney actually hosted one of the Met Galas, he was with the Vegas drinks waitress at the time (can’t remember her name) I think the theme was Superheroes.
That was in 2008, with Julia Roberts. The theme was Old Hollywood Glamour. George was with Sarah Larson at the time.