Next year’s Met Gala will be ‘camp’-themed

The New York Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the theme of next year’s Met Gala and accompanying Costume Institute exhibition, and one thing it promises not to be is subtle.

Entitled “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” the 2019 show looks likely to be the most outrageous to date, with the theme drawing on a 1964 Susan Sontag essay that describes camp as “love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.”

Unquestionably the fashion world’s biggest night of the year, the annual invite-only gala fundraiser is held the night before the exhibition opens on the first Monday in May at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Few will forget one of the year's most memorable red carpet moments. Rihanna, dressed as the pope for the Met Gala. How will she intrepret 2019's camp theme?

“We are going through an extreme camp moment, and it felt very relevant to the cultural conversation to look at what is often dismissed as empty frivolity but can be actually a very sophisticated and powerful political tool, especially for marginalized cultures,” Costume Institute’s curator Andrew Bolton, told the New York Times.

“Whether it’s pop camp, queer camp, high camp or political camp - Trump is a very camp figure - I think it’s very timely.”

A total of 175 objects, including womenswear and menswear from the 17th century to the present will be on show at the Costume Institute exhibition.

Actress Blake Lively —

Blake Lively wears a Versace gown at the Met Gala in New York on Monday, May 7. The invitation-only event raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.

Singer Rihanna —

Rihanna dons a pope-inspired ensemble, including a jeweled miter. The singer co-chaired the event with Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace and Amal Clooney.

Singer Katy Perry —

Katy Perry looks angelic with wings on the red carpet.

Singer Nicki Minaj —

This year's show put the focus on fashion and works of medieval art in what the Met described as a thematic exhibition examining "fashion's ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism."

Singer Madonna —

Madonna's outfit was one of the most anticipated of the evening. The singer -- who had her own bout of controversy with the Catholic Church when she released her 1989 music video for "Like a Prayer" -- wore an all-black ensemble, complete with a diamond-encrusted headdress.

Singer Jennifer Lopez —

Past Costume Institute exhibitions include "China: Through the Looking Glass" and "Manus x Machina."

Model Kendall Jenner —

Kendall Jenner wears a white jumpsuit to the event.

Actress Priyanka Chopra —

Priyanka Chopra wears a heavily beaded headpiece.

TV personality Kim Kardashian —

Kim Kardashian shows off a form-fitting dress with embroidered crosses.

Singer Cardi B —

Cardi B wears an intricate headpiece and shimmering gown and train. She was joined by designer Jeremy Scott on the carpet.

Model Gigi Hadid —

Model Gigi Hadid walks the red carpet. Given the theme, there was plenty of religious imagery.

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker —

Sarah Jessica Parker dons an ornate headpiece that included figurines.

Model Ming Xi —

Chinese model Ming Xi arrives for the Met Gala.

Model Gisele Bundchen —

Gisele Bundchen was dressed in gold dress made of ecologically dyed silk.

Actress Amber Heard —

Amber Heard donned a golden halo in line with the theme.

Singer 2 Chainz and Kesha Ward —

The evening even included a proposal. Rapper 2 Chainz, whose real name is Tauheed Epps, got down on one knee on the famous Met gala stairs and popped the question to Kesha Ward, with whom he has three children. She said yes, though it was unclear if this was Epps' original proposal. 

Actress Zendaya —

Zendaya was wearing an armor-inspired dress, channeling saint Joan of Arc.

Screenwriter Lena Waithe —

Emmy winner Lena Waithe wore a rainbow-colored cape.

Models Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, left, and Lily Aldridge —

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and other stars donned elaborate accessories, including crowns and veils to celebrate the gala's theme, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.

From left actress Frances McDormand, Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, and actress Anne Hathaway —

Wearing a piece by Valentino, Frances McDormand said "I'm a pagan."

Singer Ariana Grande —

Ariana Grande was wearing a dress designed by Vera Wang.

Actress Amanda Seyfried —

The actress was wearing a golden gown and tiara by Prada.

Singer SZA —

Headpieces were popular among A-listers at Monday night's event.

Actress Kate Bosworth —

Actress Kate Bosworth was wearing an angelic veil to pay homage to this year's theme.

Actress Mindy Kaling —

"You can be the king but watch the queen conquer," actress Minday Kaling posted on Instragram.

Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney —

Amal Clooney wore a corset with a floral-printed train and fitted slacks, while George donned a classic tuxedo.

Designer Donatella Versace —

Fashion icon Donatella Versace is co-chairing this year's event with Anna Wintour, Rihanna and Amal Clooney.

Vogue editor Anna Wintour and her daughter, Bee Shaffer —

Anna Wintour, Vogue's current editor, and her daughter, Bee Shaffer, walked the carpet at tonight's Met Gala.

Actress Lili Reinhart —

Bold, creative and over-the-top perfectly sums up the 2018 Met Gala -- a benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute -- held Monday night.

Model Jasmine Sanders —

In case you're wondering how to score a ticket to this exclusive invite-only event, tickets are $30,000 each. 

Actress Lynda Carter —

All the money goes to support the Costume Institute. 

Singer Rita Ora —

The Vatican lent items to be exhibited. The exhibition opens to the public on May 10 and runs through October 8, 2018.

Actress Kerry Washington —

Vreeland curated some of the most ambitious and heavily publicized exhibitions in its history, and used the gala as an opportunity to inaugurate them.

TV personality Kris Jenner —

New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute is the only curatorial department at the Met that has to finance its own activities — so the gala is its biggest fundraiser.

Actress Diane Kruger —

From 1948 to 1971, the benefit wasn't pegged to an exhibition, and was held off-site at the Waldorf Astoria or the Rainbow Room.

Met Gala 2018: Photos from the red carpet

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Pop icon Lady Gaga, singer Harry Styles, tennis star Serena Williams, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele and Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour will serve as co-chairs.

The news drew enthusiasm from the fashion community and social media.

New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman described the decision to go from this year’s Catholic-themed “Heavenly Bodies” to the expected theatricality of the upcoming “camp”-themed exhibition as “an about-face to the profane” that could potentially top its predecessor in popularity amongst the public.

Vanity Fair wrote that the choice of Lady Gaga and Harry Styles as co-chairs will “provide some possibly needed encouragement,” for guests needing inspiration on how to dress on theme.

Gaga “has built a career out of high-concept art and camp,” and the “former boy bander turned Gucci campaign star has taken up a transformation into a millennial David Bowie, embracing art and style as he ascends into full rock-star status.”

Shirt, Franco Moschino (Italian, 1950--1994) for House of Moschino (Italian, founded 1983), spring/summer 1991 Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Parts of the show will demonstrate how the royal courts of Louis XIV and Louis XV embraced the concept of camp, an exploration of how dandies demonstrated the “camp ideal,” and camp’s origins in European and American queer subcultures in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The works of Donatella Versace, Marc Jacobs, Jeremy Scott and dozens of others will be featured.

Past topical Costume Institute shows that have drawn wide attendance include this year’s “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” and 2015’s “China: Through the Looking Glass.”