Netizens criticise Met Gala 2022 for choosing ‘Gilded Glamour’ as its theme; here are some reactions

While the Met Gala 2022 concluded on a fashionable note, with many red carpet moments and stories, social media users have not been too pleased with the dress code this year, which was “gilded glamour, white-tie” in keeping with the theme, ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’.

In fact, many people have made their displeasure public, arguing that in the current socio-political environment in the US and around the world, the term ‘gilded’ does not sound correct.

The word technically refers to ‘wealth and privilege’ and that is what the Met Gala attempted to recreate this time: ‘Gilded Age New York’, believed to be a time period in the country that spanned two decades — from 1870 to 1890 — wherein there was “unprecedented prosperity, cultural change, and industrialization”, a Vogue report stated.

It also noted that the “fashion during that period was one of excess”.

Netizens, however, took to Twitter to call out the organisers, raising some relevant points as to why the dress code was insensitive in today’s day and age. One Twitter user pointed out that amid the pandemic, when there is also an “economic meltdown”, the Met Gala dress code was all wrong. Check out their tweet:

Am I the only one who thinks this years #MetGala theme is out of touch? inequality is at the highest levels since the Gilded Age, a pandemic & economic meltdown wrecked us, inflation is out of control… but cool, let’s wear #GildedAge themed dresses & laugh about inequality
— Kelsea Marie Pym (@KelseaMariePym) April 30, 2022
Check out these other reactions:

you’re not alone. It’s offensive when so many people are suffering & struggling right now. It makes them look like the royalty that the poor starving masses revolted against. It makes their outfits hideous.
— Kiana Love (@KianaLove) May 3, 2022

It’s too on-the-nose for the Met Gala to have a “Gilded Age” theme on the same day we know the US economy is contracting
— Jacob Shamsian (@JayShams) April 28, 2022

THERE SHOULD BE A THOUSAND PROTESTERS OUT FRONT
— NATIONAL RENT STRIKE (@WorkerUnityNow) May 2, 2022
Hasan Piker, a political commentator, wrote, “The Met Gala is happening again already, and this year’s theme is straight flexing. it’s gilded glamour. At a time when wealth inequality has passed gilded age levels, they’ve gone fully mask off lmao.”

the met gala is happening again already, and this years theme is straight flexing. it’s gilded glamour. at a time when wealth inequality has passed gilded age levels, they’ve gone fully mask off lmao.
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) May 2, 2022

obviously every single met gala is about rich people wearing wild fits, but the gilded age is simply an era defined robber baron’s melting the poor for profit. it’s the most marie antoinette theme yet imo. then again, i hadn’t really paid any attention to prior themes.
— hasanabi (@hasanthehun) May 2, 2022
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