An invite to the Met Gala has always been the most sought-after seal of approval in the fashion industry. And with this year’s event just days away, we thought we’d better give you all the rundown on everything you’ll need to know approaching the upcoming soirée. From who’s invited, who definitely isn’t and what the dress code will be, here’s SCREENSHOT’s official Met Gala 2023 cheat sheet.t

Each year, the Gala’s theme is carefully curated by top dogs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume institute, with a final green light, of course, from Vogue’s very own director and decider of taste, Anna Wintour.

Past themes have included ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’ and ‘Punk: Chaos to Couture’. Guests, in collaboration with designers, are expected to dress according to the theme—although some are often better than others. Boys, we’re looking at you…

The theme for 2023 is ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’, to honour the late designer’s legacy and his time at Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and Balmain.

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A post shared by The Costume Institute (@metcostumeinstitute)

Lagerfeld died in 2019, and while his impact on the fashion universe was significant to say the least, it does tend to overshadow a flurry of problematic racist and fatphobic statements the iconic designer made throughout his time in the spotlight.

In a 2012 interview with Channel 4, the German designer stated: “There are less than one per cent of anorexic girls… The models are skinny, but they’re not that skinny.” When a man of such influence and power says things like this, the body positivity movement sadly stands no chance.

Lagerfeld also criticised singer-songwriter Adele, noting: “She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice.” In a moment of panic and damage control, the designer later claimed he was actually talking about Lana Del Rey… Is that supposed to make anyone feel better?

Lagerfeld also infamously condemned the #MeToo movement. The Chanel creative director infamously said, “If you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model!” But of course, the designer is clearly the perfect person to celebrate at the biggest fashion event of the year.

Although it’s hard to predict how A-list celebrities will approach this year’s theme, we’d love to see them challenge Lagerfeld’s problematic views by challenging his own designs, something we can only guess he didn’t want. The Chanel Mademoiselle look is historically targeted at smaller frames, and the label’s runway shows are still overwhelmingly white to this day. Could this year’s Met Gala be an opportunity to explore Lagerfeld’s designs on a wider range of people and bodies?

In terms of this year’s Met Gala guest list, invitees are carefully selected by none other than Wintour herself. So, if you want to stand a chance at making it up those iconic steps, don’t get on her bad side or we could have another Miranda Priestly versus Andie Sachs situation on our hands (if you know, you know).

The Kardashian and Jenner sisters attended the event together for the first time in 2022, along with matriarch Kris Jenner. However, there’s been much speculation of them being shunned from this year’s Gala. The family has seemingly taken a step back from the public eye after controversies such as Astroworld, and, of course, anything and everything that comes out of Kanye West’s mouth. This had led many to question their relevance.

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Kim Kardashian, however, put any doubts regarding her attendance at ease last night, Wednesday 26 April, on Instagram. The reality star posed alongside Largerfeld’s recognisable cat, Choupette, while seeking inspiration from none other than the late designer’s personal office in Paris.

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A post shared by Kim Kardashian (@kimkardashian)

In the past, the annual event has received some backlash for inviting influencers who’ve been considered not high fashion enough, and undeserving of an invitation to the prestigious evening.

This year, TikTok-famous, sorority sister and University of Miami student, Alix Ashley Earle is rumoured to attend. Earle’s make-up artist recently shared the news that she will be doing a celebrity’s glam for the Gala. Could it be the 22-year-old? Her 5.1 million TikTok followers certainly hope so.

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A post shared by Alix Ashley Earle (@alix_earle)

So, what if you’re not a celebrity? Or your mum’s best friend isn’t Anna Wintour? How can you secure a ticket to one of the most exclusive fashion events of the year? Well, if you have an extra $50,000 lying about, you could potentially buy yourself a ticket, but without the high-end status or celebrity connections, your chances sadly remain slim.

Traditionally, designers will buy out a table for a whopping $250,000 to then fill with their celebrity collaborators. The guest list primarily remains top secret until the evening itself. However, confirmed so far, are co-chairs Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel, Penélope Cruz, and Roger Federer. An eclectic bunch, to say the least.

In 2021, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton bought an entire table in order to showcase young Black designers. Hopefully, these kinds of changes and actions are beginning to mark the start of a much needed transformation for the Met Gala.

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The Met Gala officially kicks off on Monday 1 May at 18:30 EST (that’s 23:30 for us across the pond). I don’t know about you, but I’ll definitely be staying up until the early hours of the morning purely in hopes of catching a glimpse of those much anticipated first shots on the steps. I wouldn’t also hate getting to sneak a peek at some of the paparazzi shots of my favourite celebrities drunkenly stumbling out of the after party. Just saying…

When it comes to Londoners, the pavement truly is their runway. While the finance bros flock to Canary Wharf in their Schöffel jackets, the Depop girlies head to Brick Lane in Shoreditch to find their latest vintage steal.

With London College of Fashion just around the corner, the iconic pedestrianised Carnaby Street in Soho doubles up as stylish students’ go-to lunch spot. SCREENSHOT popped on the Central line to ask them to dish the dirt on how their impeccable sense of fashion developed.

Name: Jacob West
Age: 26
Occupation: Social media manager
Social Media: @cowboysgetthebblues (Instagram), @geminiszn4ever (TikTok)

“Well, my coworker described it the other day as raw archival. I thought, ‘oh, that’s a big compliment’. In my personal opinion, it’s very boy-next-door. My style icons were the Disney Channel boyfriends. So I have that Orange County, Justin Bieber swoop whole vibe—very chill. I’d definitely describe myself as a tomboy, which is kind of funny because I am, technically, a boy. But I always feel more on the femme side internally. So, I’m just a boy who’s a tomboy.”

“I’d definitely say the late 90s and early 2000s. I used to dress a lot more outrageously and be more into the Paris Hilton aesthetic, but now I’m 26, I’m a bit over the hill. So I decided to mute it down a little bit, and that’s now developed into this boy-next-door look.”

“There’s been a few. I’ve never really felt embarrassed about things I’ve worn because I don’t allow myself to get cringed out but it’s mostly beauty trends, like colourful hair. I had the King Kylie 2014 mermaid hair, it was bad. I used to wear a smudged smokey eye basically every day and, at the time, I was interning at a magazine. So I was going into my pretty buttoned up corporate office and I literally looked like I’d pulled out of the club. Looking back, that was a bit much.”

“Throwaway fashion. I try to shop very consciously and sustainably, not necessarily in terms of only shopping ethical brands, but I shop with a purpose. I hate this trend of buying something for a particular occasion or outfit. Fast fashion, get in the bin!”

“I love that the general masses are becoming more comfortable with dressing a bit outrageously or provocatively. I feel like the masses are cooler now than they were a few years ago, which is probably the influence of TikTok. I admit it’s a bit of a carbon copy of each other but if the trends that are trending are a bit cool I like that, like the kitten heels and baggy jeans, that’s a cool trend.”

Name: Sophia Snowdon
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Social media: @sophiasnowdon (Instagram)

“Bella Hadid, off-duty—super casual, nothing crazy. I’d also say there’s some Scandinavian influence there.”

“I’d have to say Bella Hadid and Scandi influencers again! I also go to London College of Fashion and so I see so much inspiration going there on a daily basis.”

“I think probably fast fashion. I used to wear a lot of SHEIN in the past, which isn’t great. I definitely joined in with all of the lockdown boredom hauls. I look back on it now and it was really awful, but I’ve moved on.”

“Controversial, but I really don’t like the lacy, coquette style. I’m not a fan of it, I can’t get behind it.”

“Baby tees, always, I love it. You can go to Barcelona and get a baby tee, you can go to the shops and get a baby tee. They’re so versatile for spring, summer and winter.”

https://www.tiktok.com/@offtrend.hq/video/7225919419514490139

Name: Ed Poole
Age: 22
Occupation: Social media and healthcare worker
Social media: @cooleopooleo_ (Instagram), @cooleopooleo (TikTok)

“Gay. Fruity. Queer.”

“I really love House of D’Vey on Instagram. I don’t think I’ll ever get to that level of vibes, but they just have such an energy about them and a style that I’m obsessed with. I would love to have that kind of presence one day where someone looks at me and is like ‘wow, that’s what I want’.”

“This is a while back, but I never actually bought my own clothes until I was 17 or 18. I had this bright orange t-shirt that said ‘ginger rules’ and had a gingerbread man on it. I had it for four years, so when I was 17, it was obviously too small. I think someone got it for me when I was fully ginger and I loved it. Now, it’s not the one. It’s not okay. No, absolutely not.”

“I’m just a big hater of skinny jeans. I’m such a comfortable girlie, I need my comfort. I can’t be doing that with skinny jeans. Ripped, skinny jean shorts on boys—no. I’m not saying it’s a red flag… but it’s a big red flag.”

“I really love the silver sunnies that everyone’s got at the moment. I think they’re so cute. Do you know when everyone was 4 years old and had those Spider-Man glasses? It’s the adult version of them and I’m all about that. It’s so cutsie and heals your inner child.”

Name: Rodrigo
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Social media: @rodrigo.f26 (Instagram)

“In one word: black. If it’s not black, it’s dark, dark, dark grey and dark tones. I’ve just got a fully black wardrobe.”

“That’s a hard one. There’s this guy based in Paris and he wears bell bottom jeans with cowboy boots and that’s pretty much what I’ve been going for in the summer. Very 70s.”

“I’d have to say probably anything from before I started dressing in black. Looking back and seeing me wearing white is so strange.”

“I feel like this might be controversial but sneakers. I’m over sneakers, it’s time for loafers and boots. Streetwear has died.”

“It’s gotta be the baby tees.”

Name: Anna-Maria Bagdoshvili
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Social media: @wannabebrunettekatemoss (Instagram)

“I try to be as edgy as possible. When I’m walking down the street I want people to move out of the way. Because I’m naturally so soft on the inside, I want my clothes to intimidate.”

“I follow Rick Owens and I try my best to emulate something that he would like.”

“I interned during fashion week and when we were walking to one of the shows, my heel started to go. It didn’t completely break but it almost did, so I was hobbling along.”

“Parachute pants. I haven’t caved into them yet but I’m scared that I will.”

“Wide leg trousers, that’s all I own.”