Met Gala 2022—date, guest list and theme for the fashion event of the year

It’s nearly time for what the late, great Andre Leon Talley dubbed “the Super Bowl of fashion.”

Officially known as the Costume Institute Benefit, the Met Gala as we’ve come to know it is a fashion exhibition, celebration of style, and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The theme of the event usually correlates with the museum’s upcoming exhibitions, and on the night of the Met Gala, some of the biggest names in fashion, music, film, television, and sport come together.

Here’s everything we know about this year’s Met Gala, from the theme to the rumored guest list…

When is the Met Gala 2022?

The Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 2.

The event famously always takes place on the first Monday of May, which is why there was a documentary titled ‘The First Monday in May’ which followed Anna Wintour and members of the Metropolitan Museum as they hosted the gala in 2016.

The only time the gala has switched dates was in 2021, when the event took place in September due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

What is the theme for the Met Gala?

This year’s theme is Gilded Glamour.

Expect looks from this year’s red carpet to draw inspiration from one of the richest periods in American history, the turn-of-the-century Gilded Age, recently captured in the HBO Max series The Gilded Age.

Every year, fans eagerly await to see how the most famous faces and designers interpret the assigned theme.

Who can forget Rihanna’s magnificent Chinese couture dress? Made by Guo Pei, the extravagant, yellow gown perfectly captured the theme of the 2015 Met Gala, which was themed China: Through the Looking Glass.

Which celebrities are attending the Met Gala?

The full guest list is never shared with the public before the event, but we do know a handful of the fashion A-listers attending, and some big names who aren’t attending this time.

A-list husband and wife Blake Lively Ryan Reynolds are set to attend as they are co-chairing this year’s event.

They are joined by actress Regina King and Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda as co-chairs.

This year’s Met Gala is set to be a real theatrical event, as eight of the finest film directors have been enlisted to create fictional cinematic vignettes in different rooms of the Met.

These are Janicza Bravo, Sofia Coppola, Julie Dash, Tom Ford, Martin Scorsese, Autumn de Wilde, Chloé Zhao and Regina King.

Other stars who have either confirmed or teased their appearance include pop superstar Katy Perry who famously attended one year’s Met Gala as a cheeseburger.

Katy told Page Six that she’d be attending and that she's "going to play a whole different card."

Page Six also reports that Megan Thee Stallion is attending, and will be wearing a Moschino design by Jeremy Scott.

Other rumored guests include frequent guest Kim Kardashian and new boyfriend Pete Davidson, Billie Eilish, Timothee Chalamet, Kristen Stewart and Gemma Chan.

Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Hailee Steinfeld and Camila Cabello have also reportedly been invited to the event, according to the gossip site deuxmoi.

One fashion superstar who isn’t attending this year is Zendaya.

A frequent appearance on the Best Dressed lists, Zendaya confirmed in an interview earlier this month that work commitments will mean she has to miss the event.

“I don’t want to disappoint my fans here, but I will be working," Zendaya said. "Your girl’s gotta work and make some movies so I wish everyone the best."

How long has the Met Gala been going?

The Met Gala dates back to 1948, when fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert started an annual midnight supper to raise funds for the Costume Institute. However, the event as we know it today has been around since 1973.

The gala's theme that year was tied to an exhibition at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “The World of Balenciaga” was the first-ever theme.

Since 1995, Anna Wintour took charge of the Met Gala. She has made it the fashion extravaganza it is today, and has approval of each person on the guest list.

It's estimated that Anna has raised over $200 million for the Institute throughout her years overseeing the Met Gala.