Why do many famous stars spend billions of dong but still cannot attend the Met Gala?

The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York, USA. This year, individual tickets cost up to $75,000 (about 1.9 billion VND), while a banquet table starts at $350,000 (about 9 billion VND).

However, not everyone with money can attend this event. Even when big fashion brands buy tables, the guest list still has to be approved by Anna Wintour - Vogue editor-in-chief and event chair. This ensures that only individuals who fit the spirit and criteria of the event are invited.

Stars gather at Met Gala 2025 (Editor: Tien Bui).

Guest selection criteria reflect Anna Wintour's rigor

Before each Met Gala , the organizing team—which includes Vogue editors and cultural strategists—compiles a list of hundreds of potential names. Anna Wintour personally vets them and decides who ultimately gets the honor of walking the Met Museum's red carpet.

Before the pandemic, the Met Gala used to host around 700-800 guests. Since 2022, that number has been drastically reduced to around 400 people to ensure privacy and to suit the museum's art display space.

Anna Wintour is the one who approves the guest list each year at the Met Gala (Photo: Getty).

There is no guaranteed formula for getting invited to the Met Gala . The list typically includes top stars, famous designers, influential artists, and prominent figures in fields such as art, sports, politics ...

In addition to being invited based on reputation, being invited depends on how well the year’s theme fits in and how well the event will be perceived. Even celebrities can be turned down if they don’t meet these criteria.

While other fundraising events require a simple donation to get in, the Met Gala is much more rigorous. The selection criteria are often esoteric, and can be tied to outstanding achievement or cultural influence—something only Wintour knows.

Fashion sense at Met Gala is an important factor to be invited to attend in the following years (Photo: Getty).

Contrary to many speculations, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has frankly denied that she directly "approved" each outfit that the stars brought to the Met Gala . In a conversation with Michael Strahan on Good Morning America ahead of the 2025 Met Gala , Wintour smiled and said "No" when asked about this issue.

However, she admitted that she sometimes gives advice if asked and is often surprised by the outfit choices of guests.

Additionally, some sources said that although there are no official regulations, adhering to the Met Gala 's theme and aesthetic is an important factor in being invited to attend in the following years.

Being invited by Anna Wintour is not only an honor, but also a sign that you are at the center of pop culture influence. That's why the Met Gala is not just about fashion, it's about power.

Value does not stop at "sky-high" prices

Even if you get Anna Wintour’s approval to be on the guest list, you’ll still have to pay a hefty fee to attend. This year, individual tickets have skyrocketed to $75,000 — a 30% increase from last year’s $50,000.

For fashion companies, designers or brands, buying a banquet table - often to promote the image and invite brand representatives to come along - starts at $350,000 (about 9 billion VND).

Fashion brands often have to spend several billion VND to buy a banquet table at the Met Gala (Photo: X).

That doesn’t mean they have complete control over who sits at the table, though. The seating arrangements, like the guest list, are personally vetted and approved by Anna Wintour, a move that is designed to maintain the refinement, symbolism, and networking value of the most prestigious fashion event on the planet.

Despite the sky-high ticket prices, most celebrities don't actually pay to attend the Met Gala themselves. Instead, they're often guests of major fashion houses or brands that have paid for tables and have a clear marketing strategy.

As a brand ambassador, the celebrity will wear outfits personally designed by the designer in accordance with the theme of the year and often walk the red carpet with the designer at the Met Museum.

This moment is a visual highlight for the media and has deep commercial meaning, as the artist's name and the fashion brand go hand in hand - both literally and symbolically.

Unlike many regular red carpet events, the Met Gala sets out a series of strict rules to protect the artistic space and maintain absolute solemnity.

The seating arrangement for each character is also carefully calculated (Photo: Character Instagram).

First of all, the use of mobile phones and selfies during the event is completely prohibited. This is the organizers' way of ensuring privacy, while also helping guests focus on enjoying the art instead of posting on social media.

Smoking or touching artifacts in the museum are also prohibited because the venue is part of the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Even the seating arrangements are carefully calculated. Celebrity couples or relatives are often not seated next to each other. The goal is to encourage guests to expand their relationships and interact more deeply in the art and fashion world.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/vi-sao-nhieu-ngoi-sao-noi-tieng-chi-vai-ty-dong-van-khong-duoc-du-met-gala-20250513092509597.htm