Well… we’ve got a theme, and now that I know what it is, I think I preferred not knowing.
The Met has announced that the 2027 Met Gala theme will be “extraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday,” following the cancellation of the previously planned Galliano exhibition.
Now, before I say anything else, I want to acknowledge the Herculean task of changing gears this late in the game. I can’t begin to imagine the scramble that must have taken place to pull off an entirely new direction on such short notice.
With that being said, I think the theme is toothless.
Fashion is about escapism. The Met is about pushing the boundaries of fashion, creativity, and what we consider possible. And, frankly, this theme doesn't inspire much for me. It feels like a capitulation to the West Village girly. I come to the Met for fantasy, not reality. I don't need its biggest night to be grounded in the everyday. The Met Gala has always been the pinnacle of unattainability, spectacle, and opulence. If anything, this feels like the rich cosplaying as the pedestrian.
What makes the change feel even more jarring is the fact that a Galliano-themed Met Gala would have been the epitome of glamour. It promised drama, theatricality, historical references, and the kind of fashion fantasy that makes the Met Gala feel like the Met Gala.
I'm sure we'll still see incredible looks and creations. In fact, there are plenty of designers whose work could make this theme interesting. I would guess we'll see a number of archival Margiela looks. I'm sure Demna's Balenciaga will make an appearance, and I'd love to see someone pull out the jeans from his 50th Couture collection. The trompe-l'œil Valentino jeans that Pierpaolo Piccioli sent down the runway before leaving the house would be another dream. Glenn Martens' work immediately comes to mind, as does some J.W. Anderson-era Loewe and, of course, Blazy-era Bottega Veneta.
Ultimately, I have no doubt that the fashion world has more than enough creativity to make this an interesting red carpet. Fashion people are resourceful, and a good designer can find inspiration in just about anything.
My issue isn't necessarily what we'll see on the carpet. It's the shift in ambition. It's the feeling of going from one very particular kind of fashion fantasy to something entirely different.
We were promised The Capitol, and we're getting District 12.