Every May, the Internet raves about the infamously glamorous Met Gala, hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where celebrities congregate in elegant attire at the most extravagant fashion event. 2024’s theme, “Garden of Time,” aligned with “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” which aimed at featuring rare items drawn from the Costume Institute's permanent collection, and sparked some serious controversy. Numerous individuals compared the Gala's attendees to residents of The Hunger Games' dystopian capitol, where lavishly dressed individuals of wealth feast as they witness the impoverished, oppressed districts suffer for their own pure amusement. 

 

The book series in its entirety was meant to serve as a powerful and exaggerated critique of the dystopian and crippled society we inhabit. However, this year, the actual extreme disparity between the destitute and the privileged felt so realistic that it almost resembled the fantastical version depicted in the trilogy. 

 

Many individuals are grappling with the challenges posed by the inflated living costs, while also becoming increasingly aware of global humanitarian crises and actively protesting against tax-funded conflicts. The fact that protests even took place near the exclusive Met Gala event itself speaks volumes. Against this backdrop, the actions of influencer attendee, Hayley Baylee, who lip-synced “Let them eat cake” on social media, appeared to many as a complete disconnection from reality. As more influencers shared their outfits during the event, cynical observers couldn't help but comment things such as, “Watching this from District 12.” 

 

Effie Trinket, one of the well-known caricatures created by author Suzanne Collins, was distinctly brought to life on this year’s red carpet through Actress Zendaya’s vivacious look. Her clothing and gaudy makeup was notably attractive of being reminiscent of the flamboyantly made-up woman. Effie epitomized the opulent and influential Capitol, responsible for the downtrodden and poor residents of the 13 outlying districts. She displayed vanity, superficiality, and a somewhat scatterbrained demeanor. 

 

The celebrity presence does not imply any responsibility for the misfortune or lack of others, however, the Gala exudes an excessive display of wealth, abundance, and vanity publicly elevated on the world stage. Ultimately, The Met Gala stands apart from other entertainment forms like the Oscars and sporting events in its ignorance of celebrating talent or human accomplishment, but rather portraying a global message of superiority to the world.