Image by Variety
By: Samantha Walker

The Met Gala is notorious for the event’s glamor and extravagance, but this year, there was a new tone to the historic philanthropic event.

After the past year of natural disasters and global pandemics, everyone was ready to have a taste of the world before mass graves and mask mandates.

Every year, the Met Gala introduces a theme for their event. This year’s theme was “American Independence,” which attendees can interpret however they choose.

While some stars took this as an opportunity to bring back Hollywood regency, others took the theme as a chance to bring a message to the red carpet.

Rapper Saweetie paid homage to her African and Filipino roots with a form-fitting Christian Cowan gown, with a train made of two separate panels: one to represent the Filipino flag, and the other for the Black American heritage flag.

Her choice in design, considering the event’s theme, highlights the diversity of the country and the immigration that America was built on.

YouTube Makeup Artist NikkieTutorials dedicated her first Met outfit to Marsha “Pay It No Mind” Johnson, a trans woman who was an activist during the Stonewall Riots.

Nikkie stated that, “Marsha P. Johnson paved the way for so many of us, and I hope I made my community proud tonight.”

Soccer Olympian Megan Rapinoe wore a red and blue suit, but the real focus of the outfit was the clutch purse held by the athlete that had “In Gay We Trust” printed across the front.

Considering the country’s history with the LGBTQIA+ community and the significance of the phrase “In God We Trust” throughout America, this choice was a conversation starter if nothing else.

The U.S. Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has started a debate among her colleagues and members of social media alike after showcasing a white dress that had “tax the rich” printed on the back.

The discussion about raising taxation for the wealthy has been a conversation Ocasio-Cortez has supported since the beginning of her career, but it is significant to note that the audience at the Met Gala were mainly of the economic class that would be targeted.

Model Cara Delevingne wore a white monochrome outfit that included dress pants and a militant vest. The part of this outfit that turned heads was the saying on the front in bright red font: “peg the patriarchy.”

The phrase was trademarked by Canadian artist Luna Matatas back in 2015 on her podcast. Since then, the saying has become a popular choice within the feminist movement.

The Met Gala will always be one of the biggest fashion events of the year, but with the new wave of American culture, there appears to be more to the event than sparkling gowns and crisp suits moving forward.