- 3 months ago
The Met Gala is fashion’s most exclusive and star-studded event — but it’s not without its strict, non-negotiable rules. From forbidden phones and banned foods to rigid seating charts and limited time to chat with Anna Wintour, there are some surprising guidelines every guest must follow. Step inside the world of glitz and glamour and discover what it really takes to make it through the Costume Institute Benefit unscathed!
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Let me break down how the Met Gala works, because I can tell a lot of y'all are confused
00:03by this.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most surprising non-negotiables
00:10at the Costume Institute benefit.
00:13Will you be breaking the no-selfie rule tonight with anyone?
00:16No, no, no, I don't break the rules. I think the only rule I be breaking is when I be
00:18bringing my own food.
00:19Number 10, limited interactions with Anna Wintour.
00:23You earned a reputation of being intimidating. Is that unfair?
00:28Um, I think I'm decisive, and I like to get things done quickly, so if that comes across as intimidation,
00:35I'm sorry to hear it.
00:36If you ever find yourself attending the Met Gala, you might want to meet the woman running the show.
00:42Unfortunately, your hopes of shooting the breeze with the one and only Anna Wintour will probably be dashed the moment
00:48you enter the venue.
00:49Amy O'Dell's book, Anna, the Biography, seems to suggest that guests are only allowed to speak with Anna for 20
00:56seconds
00:57once they've scaled the grand steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
01:01We're here to work, and there's on-duty time and off-duty time.
01:05This comes as no surprise, considering Winter is a very busy woman.
01:09However, it's one of those rules that leaves us wondering about the consequences of breaking it.
01:14A lot of people say, oh, she's tough. Look out. She'll chew you up and spit you out and fire
01:20you and then chew you up and spit you into a cab.
01:22Number 9, the cost of a seat.
01:24The Met Gala is no regular outing. Even if you're invited, you must pay for your ticket to make it
01:30inside.
01:31Mr. Franklin isn't here, but how about two Mr. Lincolns and a mystery bag?
01:38According to experts, a single ticket to attend the 2025 Met Gala cost $75,000.
01:46Obviously, the price wasn't always this high. The inaugural edition of the event was a much more modest affair.
01:52And the first fundraiser was a midnight dinner held in 1948 that cost just $50 a ticket.
01:58It was the brainchild of fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, who also played a role in launching New York Fashion Week.
02:03As the Met Gala became a global phenomenon and came to be touted as fashion's biggest night, prices were hyped.
02:10Needless to say, they will probably continue to rise in the future.
02:13The only way a guest may attend without paying for their ticket is if they're invited and sponsored by a
02:18company, brand, or individual who has bought a table at the event.
02:22How soon can you be ready?
02:24Yesterday.
02:25Okay, great. I'll pick you up in 20.
02:27Okay, bye.
02:28I'm going to the Met Ball!
02:29Number 8, the seating arrangement.
02:31The Met Gala often births unlikely celebrity friendships, and at times, even romances.
02:37Who can forget all those stories about sparks allegedly flying between Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston at the 2016 gala?
02:45If you've ever wondered how stars come together at this grand bash, the secret lies in the seating arrangement.
02:51It's just such a bad table, but someone's got to take it. Someone's got to take this table.
02:55But no sweat.
02:57Chloe Sevigny, Solange Knowles.
02:59Oh.
03:00I'm going to talk to Odell Beckham.
03:05It's tight, but it's always tight.
03:07Tremendous attention goes into this aspect of the evening.
03:10The Vogue team reportedly considers common interests and past pairings when curating the seating chart.
03:16In the documentary, The First Monday in May, producer Sylvana Ward-Durette, who previously organized the gala, reveals the complex
03:24calculus involved.
03:25A lot of thought goes into who sits next to who, if they sat next to each other last year,
03:30if they've sat next to each other in other events.
03:32So much goes into it.
03:37Most interestingly, spouses are reportedly never seated next to each other to encourage mingling.
03:44Obviously, Anna has the final say in the layout.
03:46I thought he wasn't coming.
03:48I know, but then he decided he wanted to come.
03:50Okay, can you not be on his cell phone the entire time then?
03:53Mm-hmm.
03:53Maybe send him that message?
03:55Loud and clear.
03:56Number seven.
03:57Do not touch.
03:59If you touch that again, I shall kill you right now.
04:02Okay.
04:02Do not touch this.
04:03This is a no-touching though.
04:05Good.
04:05Well then, oh my god, I can't believe you reached a cross like that again.
04:10I can't even believe it.
04:12The Met's spring exhibition has a reputation for blurring the lines between fashion and art.
04:17In fact, fashion is art is the dress code for the 2026 Met Gala.
04:22Following the red carpet at the event, guests get a preview of the exhibit.
04:27Not touching anything is an etiquette code that not even Rihanna can break.
04:30Coming in as an extra this year.
04:32Oh, an extra?
04:33What am I feeling?
04:34I'm coming for dinner.
04:36It is a rule set in place to protect the displayed items,
04:39many of which can be irreparably damaged with the slightest touch.
04:43For instance, some of the garments showcased at the 2024 Sleeping Beauty's
04:47Reawakening Fashion Exhibit were so fragile that they couldn't even be mounted on mannequins.
04:52While there may be some interactive elements in the exhibits,
04:56touching preserved items is usually a complete no-no.
04:59No, no, no, no, no, no, no, you can't.
05:01Please, please.
05:02You can't do that, Cookie Monster.
05:04No, no, no, no, no, no, you can't touch the picture, Cookie Monster.
05:07Me no want to touch me, want to eat picture.
05:09No, you can't.
05:10No!
05:11Number six, the age restriction.
05:13The internet first found out about this rule in 2018,
05:16when Maddie Ziegler revealed she was too young to go to the Met Gala.
05:20Competing all my life.
05:21I've been used to just being like pretty
05:23and wearing a lot of makeup
05:23and making sure you always look good.
05:25Organizers confirmed soon after
05:27that there was indeed a new rule
05:28where you had to be 18 or older
05:30to attend the fashion Oscars.
05:33Previously, stars like Elle Fanning,
05:35Hailee Steinfeld and Jaden and Willow Smith
05:37all attended the Met Gala as minors.
05:40You two are the cutting edge of fashion.
05:41It is moment of fashion.
05:43You look so cool.
05:44You look so fabulous.
05:46I tried to do something.
05:47You look so fabulous.
05:48You all are the cutting edge.
05:49So why the sudden change?
05:51Organizers say it's, quote,
05:53not an appropriate event for people under 18.
05:55Things seem to be slightly different
05:57for Nepo babies, though.
05:59If a famous couple is invited
06:00and they choose to bring their child along,
06:03that's said to be acceptable.
06:04Image of Louis Vuitton.
06:07Say hello to your mom and your father.
06:08Yes.
06:09Tell me, tell me, okay?
06:10Number five, no smoking indoors.
06:13That's Fifty Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson lighting up.
06:16There's model Bella Hadid blowing smoke
06:18and passing a cigarette
06:19in the direction of Paris Jackson
06:21and talk about smoking in the girls' room.
06:24That's actor Rami Malek.
06:26Remember the viral photos
06:28of all the bold-faced guests
06:29smoking in the bathroom at the 2017 Met Gala?
06:32Those were why organizers had to enforce
06:35a no smoking rule at the event.
06:36Darling, can't smoke in here.
06:39No, no.
06:40Uh, terrace.
06:42Then that's where I'll be.
06:43Now, keep in mind, smoking and vaping are illegal
06:46in most indoor public spaces in New York City,
06:49including museums and galleries.
06:51It is especially frowned upon at the Met
06:54because smoke can damage the items in the museum.
06:56So not only did the pics tick off
06:58the New York City Department of Health,
07:00but they also upset museum donors and trustees.
07:03Regardless, celebs like Cole Sprouse and Doja Cat
07:07have been caught breaking the rule in the years since.
07:09What's your favorite thing about sucking your vape?
07:13I don't suck anything.
07:14I don't know what you're talking about.
07:16Well, I saw you just blew it out.
07:17Right.
07:18Number four, invite only.
07:20There's no way to attend the Met Gala
07:22if you're not on Anna Winter's guest list.
07:25Do we want to talk about guest count right now?
07:27I think we should keep the number
07:29as low as we possibly can.
07:31We're 608 last year.
07:32Okay, we're going to start with 500.
07:34This elusive roster is reportedly curated
07:36based on factors like cultural significance
07:38and fashion authority.
07:40But there are other ways to join the fun.
07:42According to sources,
07:44entire tables at the gala are up for purchase.
07:46Anyone willing to dish out a small fortune
07:49may grab them and invite individuals
07:51to occupy the seats they bought.
07:53Michael Kors has Liz Banks and Kate Hudson.
07:57Prada has Emily Blunt.
08:00Ralph has Anne Hathaway.
08:02Versace has J-Lo.
08:04Many celebrities who are ambassadors
08:06or muses to fashion houses
08:07attend the Met Gala this way.
08:10However, the final list of attendees
08:11must be approved by Anna.
08:13If she doesn't want someone at the gala,
08:15they're not going in
08:16and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
08:19And then who are these people?
08:20Those are people who I'm hoping go away.
08:24Tell them they give us.
08:26Okay.
08:27Number three, stick to the theme.
08:29Besides being the goat of fashion events in the world,
08:32the Met Gala is a fundraiser
08:33for the Met's Costume Institute.
08:35Anna's taking it to a different level
08:37in terms of the money that she's raised over the years.
08:40$120 million for our department alone.
08:44Thanks to Anna's contributions,
08:46exhibits at the Costume Institute
08:48have drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors
08:51to this great American museum.
08:53The dress code is generally related to the theme
08:56of its highly anticipated yearly fashion exhibition.
08:58So when celebrities successfully interpret it,
09:01the buzz around their outfits
09:03naturally translates into interest
09:05in the museum's display.
09:06As such, adherence to the dress code
09:09is considered a rule at the gala.
09:10What is with this train?
09:12This is crazy.
09:14It's not crazy.
09:16It's Valentino.
09:17There are always some guests on the carpet
09:19who don't quite get it right though,
09:21and we haven't seen them facing repercussions for it.
09:23So this rule may just be more of an expectation.
09:27Fall short and you risk incurring
09:29Anna's frosty disappointment,
09:30which to be fair is probably worse than a ban.
09:33If one comes across sometimes as being cold or brusque,
09:38it's simply because I'm striving for the best.
09:40Number two, the menu.
09:42Few celebrities attend the Met Gala for the catering,
09:45but that doesn't mean it's neglected.
09:47On the contrary,
09:48Anna Winter is said to be very particular
09:50about the food presented to her guests.
09:52A white truffle lobster roll.
09:55What do we think?
09:56Cheers.
09:56Cheers.
09:57Cheers.
09:58Cheers.
09:59Cheers.
09:59Cheers.
10:01I love it.
10:02I love it.
10:03She has reportedly banned chives,
10:05onions, and garlic from the Met Gala kitchen,
10:07simply because she's, quote,
10:09not particularly fond of them.
10:11Parsley apparently doesn't have a place on the plate either.
10:14I don't like it.
10:15Why don't you just say that?
10:16Because when I say that,
10:17parsley somehow magically appears on the plate,
10:20and I feel bad because I have to send it back.
10:23The omissions are understandable to an extent,
10:25since guests would want to avoid offensive breath
10:28and picture-perfect smiles ruined by pesky herbs isn't ideal.
10:32However, some say even bruschetta is banned,
10:35since it can get messy,
10:37and the million-dollar outfits in the room
10:39don't need breadcrumbs on them.
10:41Don't worry about it falling off the edge a little bit.
10:43Yeah, it's perfect.
10:45It's insane.
10:53Before we continue,
10:55check out this single from Sound Mojo's album, Balance,
10:57classical music reimagined as rock, hard rock, and metal.
11:01Check out the full track and album below.
11:03Fortune calls, rise and ruin, night and noon,
11:09all are prisoners of the moon.
11:17Number one, no phones.
11:19People say, oh, we had the most wonderful conversations.
11:22And so that's the idea that life can exist
11:27without a picture on your cell phone.
11:30Anna meant well with this policy,
11:31hoping it would encourage guests to live in the moment
11:34without feeling the need to document it.
11:36However, it is one of those rules
11:38that probably gets broken the most.
11:40It hurts, but it's so worth it.
11:41But I'm, do you mean like,
11:44for the whole time?
11:45Numerous celebrities have brought their phones to the Met Gala.
11:48In 2025, Megan Thee Stallion famously gave fans
11:51a review of the food being served at the event
11:53through a TikTok video,
11:55alongside Dochi and Angel Reese.
11:57This was also a violation of the gala's
12:00no social media policy.
12:01Over the years, stars like Kylie Jenner,
12:04Stella McCartney, Tyla, Kim Kardashian, and more
12:07have enthusiastically defied the no selfie rule as well.
12:11After all, the Met bathroom selfies
12:13are what fans look forward to every year.
12:15It reminded me of a scene out of a high school movie
12:17where the bathroom was really
12:19where all the cool kids were hanging out
12:21and the real party ended up being in the bathroom at the Met.
12:24If you were invited to the Met Gala,
12:25would you abide by the rules or rebel?
12:28Tell us in the comments.
12:31All right.
12:33Cheers.
Comments