MET GALA 2024: A Controversial Evening Highlighting Social Inequality

The Met Gala 2024, held on May 6th at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, has sparked intense debate about social inequality and division. With the theme “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” attendees adhered to the dress code “The Garden of Time,” inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 dystopian short story.

Ballard’s story, depicting a noble couple’s futile attempts to avoid an advancing angry mob by manipulating time in their lavish garden, serves as a metaphor for the endless cycle of creation and destruction. Many interpret it as a critique of the privileged class’s indifference to societal issues, only reacting when their own comfort is threatened.

The event’s opulence contrasted sharply with global issues, notably highlighted by model and influencer Haley “Baylee” Kalil’s controversial video. Dressed in an elaborate floral gown, Kalil lip-synced “Let them eat cake,” a phrase misattributed to Marie Antoinette, symbolizing the aristocracy’s callousness during the French Revolution. This act was seen as particularly insensitive given the severe humanitarian crises in Gaza and Palestine.

Kalil faced significant backlash for her perceived lack of empathy and awareness. She issued an apology, claiming ignorance about the event’s context and the ongoing global conflicts prominently featured in the news for months.

The incident underscores the broader critique of the Met Gala’s extravagance amidst worldwide suffering, igniting discussions about the responsibility of the wealthy and influential in addressing social issues.