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Ahead of the Curve with Coco Mocoe
The Brilliant Branding of the Met Gala: The Power of Secrecy
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Kokomoco
The Met Gala, officially known as the Costume Institute benefit, began in 1948 as a modest fundraiser for the newly established Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the same force behind the International Best Dress List and New York Fashion Week, founded the event to encourage donations from New York's elite. In its early years, the Gala was more of a society dinner than the celebrity saturated spectacle it is today. Guests were largely donors and museum patrons, and the fashion was refined but understated. Their turning point came in 1995 when Anna Wintour, Editor in chief of Vogue, took over as chair. With her influence, the Met Gala began to merge the worlds of fashion, entertainment and media. Wintour transformed the Gala into an exclusive invitation only event, carefully curating the guest list to include the biggest names in film, music, politics and of course, fashion. Celebrities didn't just attend, they were expected to make a statement. Names became theatrical and designers began partnering with celebrities to use the red carpet as a fashion performance stage. Standout moments like Rihanna's 2015 yellow Galpe gown or Lady Gaga's four outfit striptease in 2019 redefined what a fashion moment could be. The event's rise in cultural cachet also coincided with the digital era. As social media platforms exploded in the 2010s, the Met Gala became a global spectacle. Despite being super secretive, even though the actual dinner remains private, the red carpet serves as a live Runway for millions of viewers, with every look instantly analyzed, meme ified and ranked. It's this perfect mix of fashion, fame, exclusivity and Internet virality that has made the Met Gala not just a benefit, but the premier fashion event of the year and for many celebrities, the ultimate signifier that they've made it or that they've retained their status. In today's episode of Ahead of the Curve with Kokomoco, we will be bringing back the series that the coconuts seem to love. The Brilliant Branding of Dun da da da. Insert name here. Today's episode will obviously be the Brilliant Branding of the Met Gala. Let me know what other topics, brands or public figures you would want me to cover in a future episode of the Brilliant Branding in the reviews on Spotify or Apple, wherever you listen. But why is this topic, the Met Gala, important to learn about? If you are a creator or you work in marketing or entertainment, what can we learn about it? To me, the Met Gala is the ultimate example of creating hype around a product or an event through exclusivity. Everyone wants what they can't have It's a risky game to play, but it pays off if you do it well. In some ways it's an example of anti branding in marketing. You are told to make your product or image reach as far and as wide as possible. So it's intriguing to the public when you don't allow pics or anyone inside and make it extremely private. In the first half of the episode we will discuss the history of the Met Gala, weird rules that they have in place and moments that have really moved the needle. And then in the second half, only available to paying members of my substack at cocomoco substack. Com for $9 a month, we will discuss how you can apply the brilliant branding of the Met Gala or what I'm calling the exclusive effect to your own creator journey, brand or product, and my prediction for faces that we will see at the Met Gala this year for the first time. If you make it to the very end of the first half of the episode and you want more, you can become a paying member@kokomoco substack.com there you will unlock every episode of this podcast that I have done for almost a year now on my bestselling substack and you will get access to every Friday Trend Report. As you know, I have never run an ad on this podcast because it honestly bugs me how so many podcasts nowadays all just have the same few ads from the same few brands over and over again. A 30 minute episode is actually only 12 minutes because the bulk of it is just the same ad reads over and over again. I don't even listen to podcasts anymore because it's become such a pet peeve of mine. I only listen to audiobooks right now I'm listening to the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and so I really just hope that you guys appreciate this ad free podcast. Whether you're listening to it for free or the extended episode on substack. I really really appreciate you and I hope that you appreciate as well just the work that I put in and the the really you know how much I really want to keep this ad free for you. And as always share this episode with a friend who loves marketing and pop culture as much as we do Love you coconuts and we are going to dive right on in. The golden age of the Met Gala began in the 90s when Anna Wintour began leading the charge. When she took over the met gala in 1995, she didn't just change the guest list, she rebranded the entire event. At the time, the Met Gala was A somewhat staid fundraiser for the Costume Institute, largely attended by New York socialites and museum patrons. But Wintour, already a fashion powerhouse as Vogue's editor in chief, saw the potential to fuse celebrity culture with high fashion in a way that had never been done before. She began curating the event like an editorial spread hand, selecting not only designers and fashion insiders, but also the A list, actors, musicians, athletes and cultural figures whose presence would make headlines. Under Wintour's leadership, the Met Gala became the super bowl of fashion. She introduced strict guest lists, dramatically raised ticket prices and paired celebrities with designers to create buzz worthy red carpet moments. Each year's theme became more theatrical, from heavenly bodies to camp, encouraging guests to turn the steps of the Met into a full blown stage. The exclusivity and prestige of the event skyrocketed. What was once a relatively quiet benefit was now the most sought after invite in the entertainment industry. Wintour also played a pivotal role in aligning the Met Gala with the rise of fashion as entertainment. She leveraged Vogue's global influence to ensure coverage extended far beyond the fashion press, tapping into mainstream media and eventually dominating social media feeds worldwide. In a savvy PR move, she even had a documentary crew film the 2015 Gala Prep, resulting in the critically acclaimed the First Monday in May, further mythologizing the event. Today, the Met Gala is less about fundraising, though it still does raise millions, and more about storytelling, branding and cultural dominance for Vogue, an evolution Wintour engineered with the precision of a seasoned editor. She took it over in 95 and the following year she would invite one guest who would change the course of the Met Gala. Princess Diana. Did you know that Princess Diana is a big part of the reason that celebrities now pose on the iconic stairs of the Met Museum as they head into the Met Gala each year? The event had gone back all the way to the 40s and prior to her, most donors and public figures who were invited would head directly inside. But instead, Princess Diana decided to take her time going up the stairs, posing for cameras along the way. This was a powerful move as it was one of her first public appearances since her divorce to Prince Charles only two months prior. According to Vogue, she arrived alone and posed confidently in Galliano's now legendary slip dress, signaling a new era of independence and visibility for her. Really breaking away from the royal family ranks. The midnight blue silk slip dress was considered risque for a royal. It was seen as off brand for the traditional expectations of a princess. The lingerie inspired dress was her way of visually parting from the royal family. It really sent a message that she was now independent and not reliant on the royal rules from a family that had in a lot of ways betrayed her. As fashion writer Elizabeth Holmes noted in her book so Many Thoughts on Royal Style, this wasn't just a dress, it was a declaration. Diana's appearance helped reframe the Met Gala as a stage for narrative shifting fashion moments, not just a couture fundraiser. Diana would pass away tragically in a car crash the following year, and this would be a look that would go down in the history books as it was taken in the last year of her life. Between 1997 and 2000, the Met Gala steadily evolved into the celebrity packed spectacle we know today. Each year's theme served as a canvas for experimentation and the red carpet started to become as important, if not more than the exhibit itself. After Princess Diana made headlines walking up the now famous steps, more public figures were keen to see and be seen at the event. In 1997, the theme was Gianna Versace, a poignant tribute to the man, and it took place just months after his tragic murder. The event drew major names in both fashion and celebrity culture, including Donatella Versace, Naomi Campbell and Elizabeth Hurley. The mood was both glamorous and reverent, celebrating Versace's outsized influence on fashion and celebrity dressing. By 1999, with the theme Rock Style, the gala leaned into the growing intersection of music, fashion and rebellion. Attendees included Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney, who showed up and coordinated one shoulder tees that read Rock Royalty. Also in attendance were music legends like David Bowie and designers like Tom Ford, reflecting the theme's fusion of rock and roll attitude and high fashion design. In 2000, the theme was Noor, and celebrities like Nicole Kidman and Kate Hudson began making regular appearances, while seller Jessica Parker, riding high from Sex and the City, becoming one of the gala's most photographed guests. Though not yet the viral red carpet machine it would become in the social media era, the late 90s marked the gala's quiet but strategic expansion into star power, setting the stage for the celebrity packed guest list of the 2000s. The event's tone shifted from polite society to pop culture pulse point 1 calculated appearance and invite at a time. Gala in the 2000s was a defining era, pre social media, but fully entrenched in the glossy pages of Vogue and the tabloids that ruled pop culture. It was during this decade that the gala solidified its reputation as a high stakes fashion event for a list celebrities. Even though most people would only see the red carpet photos in the following month's magazine Without Instagram or live streams, the Met Gala held a certain mystique. You didn't watch the Met Gala, you waited for it. And in the waiting, the event built its own mythos. Each year's theme helped anchor the Knights fashion narrative in 2001, Jacqueline Kennedy the White House years brought an air of American elegance, attracting political icons and celebrities alike, and this kind of celebration of the American heyday is a little bit eerie now, knowing that the event happened a few months prior to 2000. September 11, 2001 In 2003, goddess the classical mode ushered in a wave of draped gowns and Grecian glamour, with stars like Nicole Kidman and Giselle Bunken turning the steps into a modern day Olympus. The 2006 theme Anglomania tradition and Transgression in British Fashion captured a punky theatrical energy, complete with Vivienne Westwood references, showcasing how the gala could be both reverent and rebellious. This era also birthed the reign of certain Met Gala regulars. Sarah Jessica Parker emerged as one of the red carpet's most beloved fixtures, her Sex and the City Persona with serious fashion credibility. Beyonce made her debut in the mid-2000s, ushering in a new wave of pop stars as fashion icons at the event. Other red carpet staples included Jennifer Lopez, Kate Moss and Rihanna, each beginning to play a bigger role in the gala's visual identity. Though the photos weren't posted in real time, the Met Gala still dictated fashion discourse, shaping trends and establishing who had the style in the celebrity hierarchy. The 2000s were the Met Gala's red carpet adolescence, a time when it was still intimate enough to feel exclusive, yet visible enough to shape fashion's global conversations. It was the last decade where the gala thrived without needing to go viral because being seen there at all was enough to make a statement. Instead of TikToks going viral like Tyler being carried up the stairs in her Balmain dress, or people tuning into the YouTube live streams and fandoms using the chat to argue with each other as attendees arrive. People waited for the tabloid magazines the next day to see who ended up on the best and worst dressed lists of the night. Fashion Police with Joan Rivers began reacting to Met Gala looks In the early 2010s after the show was revived and rebranded on E. While the show originally premiered in 2002 as a Red carpet commentary segment, it gained massive traction and a consistent format after the 2010 reboot, with Joan Rivers leading the panel alongside rotating co host. The Met Gala became a regular subject of post event analysis, especially as the event itself grew more theatrical and celebrity driven under Anna Wintour's leadership, Joan Rivers sharp tongued and unapologetic critiques became part of the Met Gala's cultural ritual, offering the public both entertainment and fashion education. While the Gala itself remained exclusive and tightly controlled. Fashion police gave viewers a seat at the table, or at least at the sofa the day after. Turning red carpet fashion into a mainstream talking point that would kind of foreshadow the way it would be talked about online years later. This era marked a turning point where red carpet fashion moved from elite to interactive. And Joan Rivers was someone that was at the center of that shift. 2010s were the MET Gala's golden age of spectacle. A decade where the red carpet transformed into full blown fashion stage and themes became cultural flashpoints. With the rise of social media, especially Instagram and Twitter, the gala evolved from a private benefit into a real time global event. Each year's theme sparked viral moments, high end drama, higher stakes and fashion history, solidifying the Met Gala as the definitive intersection of celebrity, couture and culture. In 2011, Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty was both a tribute to the late designer and a turning point in Met Gala Gala. Theatrically, celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Naomi Campbell and Daphne Guinness arrived in dramatic museum worthy looks. Beyonce in a body hugging Emilio Pookie gown. Poochie gown. Sorry guys, my dude, my dyslexia literally takes me out every single episode. Okay, I'm trying. Though Beyonce had to be helped up the stairs. Proof that the red carpet fashion had officially sacrificed comfort for impact. Then came punk chaos to Couture in 2013, which welcomed a new generation of Met Gala risk takers. Madonna wore a fishnet bodysuit with no pants. Miley Cyrus channeled Sid Vicious with spiked hair. And Kim Kardashian made her controversial debut in a floral Givenchy maternity gown, sparking memes before memes were a formal content category. I also think she looked great here and she was pregnant. People were so mean. But yeah, it was. It was a. I thought it was a cute look. 2015's China through the Looking Glass brought one of the most iconic Met Gala moments of all time. Rihanna's imperial yellow Gao Pei gown with a train so long it took three handlers to carry it. And it instantly became a meme dubbed omelette couture. Beyonce also stunned that year in a sheer Givenchy gown, arriving fashionably late to ensure the eyes were on her. The decade closed with 2018's Heavenly Bodies. My favorite. I actually know camp was my favorite. But heavenly bodies, fashion and the Catholic imagination. Arguably the most elaborate and thematically rich Gala ever. Rihanna arrived as a crystal encrust Pope Zendaya transformed into the Joan of Arc and Lana Del Rey. Jared Leto and Alessandro Michel formed a haunting Bor Quo trio throughout the 2000 and tens. The Met Gala stopped being just a party for fashion insiders, and it became a litmus test for your cultural relevance. To attend, especially in a headline making look, meant that you were part of the pop culture canon. The red carpet was no longer just about gowns, but it was about narrative branding and being the moment. Now, how does one get invited to the Met Gala? Getting invited to the Met Gala as a new celebrity is not just about how famous you are. It's about relevance, your fashion credibility, and most importantly, Vogue's approval. Anna Wintour oversees the guest list with editorial precision, reportedly reviewing every single name that enters the building. So while a breakout role, a viral moment or millions of followers might get you on her radar, it doesn't guarantee you a seat at the table. What does? A close relationship with a major fashion house, especially one sponsoring a table, recent Vogue coverage, or a buzzworthy fashion moment that aligns with the theme and the current cultural mood. Vogue tends to look for a few things in a new invitee. Are they fashion forward? Do they represent a new cultural wave or niche audience? Are they tied to a designer with Met Gala history? For example, rising stars like Ice Spice or Alton Mason didn't just show up out of nowhere. They were supported by designers like Balmain or Coach, and they came with a PR strategy. Being dressed by a major fashion house is essentially your entry ticket. The brand buys a table for upwards of $350,000 and then they decide which of their muses, ambassadors or collaborators will fill the seat. Anna Wintour still gets the final say though. So even if you are there with a fashion house and you have a table, you still need to be approved by Anna Wintour. There's the tiered system that separates those who walk the carpet from those who actually get to go inside. Some influencers or buzzworthy celebrities are invited to just walk and generate social media traction. Still a huge honor, but they don't make it past the front doors. These red carpet only guests may pose in designer looks and tag the brand and generate press, but they're often not considered Met Gala insiders yet. The true VIPs, the ones dining under the Temple of Dendor, are usually a listers, fashion royalty and industry power players. They're there not just to be seen but to network, to fundraise and cement their place in in the fashion ecosystem. The inside crowd is what Vogue is really curating those whose presence elevates the prestige of the event and can raise the most money. Before I get into predicting who I think will be at the Met Gala this year, let's Talk about the first time attendees of 2024 to give us some insight into what they look for. 1 Tyla the South African singer made a memorable debut in a Balman gown inspired by the Sands of Time. Again, she was the one had to be lifted up the stairs because it was so like meshed to her body and it really aligned perfectly with the Met Gala's theme. That year her look garnered widespread acclaim for its creativity and thematic relevance. It was one of the most googled looks of the whole night. It skyrocketed Balmain's Google searches as well and it was really seen as a major move a especially for a newcomer to make such waves when sometimes newcomers, they'll kind of just play it safe. So Ed Beery, the award winning actress graced the red carpet in a Lowe's creation in 2024. Her first invite. She had a huge year prior appearing in the Bear and winning an Emmy for that show and then also just being a Gen Z it girl. Stray Kids, the K pop group made history because they were the first entire K pop ensemble to attend the Met Gala together, dressed coordinatedly in Tommy Hilfiger. Another first timer last year was Taylor Russell, recognized as Low's global ambassador. Russell's debut was highly anticipated. She wore a painted wooden corset that exemplified the fusion of art and fashion, earning her accolades as one of the best dress attendees. The previous year she had appeared alongside Timothee Chalamet in the vampire movie Bones and All, which put her on the mainstream radar. Another one is Gracie Abrams. The singer songwriter appeared in a Chanel black bedazzled mini dress, marking her entrance into the high fashion arena with kind of an old Hollywood poise. The invite came on the heels of her opening up the Eras tour alongside Taylor Swift, having a song with the artist, releasing her album the Secret of Us, and breaking into the mainstream fame as a budding pop star. Another one was Wisdom K, arguably TikTok's biggest fashion creator. He arrived in a red trench coat by Robert Woon. His appearance also coincided with TikTok replacing YouTube as the platform sponsor of the event in 2024. Looking to big sponsors like that can also signify who might be invited that year. Another one was lavey the jazz singer who wore a Prabal Guring gown. Her old Hollywood style fit with the old classic feel and timelessness of the Met Gala event. And then, lastly was Pamela Anderson. The actress and model made a notable appearance in an Oscar de la Renta ensemble. It is also a great sign that it's never too late to have your star rise to new heights. This came after her Netflix documentary and being cast to lead in the movie the Last Showgirl that she finally got her first Met Gala invite. At least that we know of now. In the extended episode@kokomoco.substack.com I will discuss who I think will be invited to the Met Gala this year for the first time. But before I get into that, let's discuss some weird, specific rules that are rumored to exist at the Met Gala. According to a 2015 email obtained by the New York Post from Vogue, guests were specifically instructed that the use of phones for photography and social media will not be permitted inside the gala. The goal was to preserve the mystique and intimacy of the dinner itself. That didn't stop people like Kylie Jenner from posting mirror selfies in the bathroom with half the guest lists, including Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. But it did reportedly irate Anna Wintour, another less publicized rule no under 18s. As reported by the Hollywood Reporter in 2018, the age restriction was put in place to maintain the adult nature of the evening and its themes, which can be theatrical, controversial or provocative. Additionally, smoking indoors a reoccurring issue in years past because smoking is banned after celebrities like Bella Hadid, Dakota Johnson and Marc Jacobs were seen smoking in the Museum's bathrooms in 2017. Donors and board members were reportedly upset, and Page Six reported that Wintour cracked down hard the following year. This rule obviously makes so much sense because they're in a museum and you have to have even more awareness of protecting the artifacts, the art, the even like the clothing of the exhibit. Wherever they are in the museum, it's you don't want to destroy it, you know. While the Met Gala features a carefully curated meal, guests aren't supposed to post about it or criticize it. Amy Schumer called the event a punishment after attending in 2016 and talking about the food, which likely explains why she hasn't been invited back. That we know of. Even if a brand buys a table, they cannot invite just anyone. Every guest must be individually approved by Anna Wintour, as we spoke about previously, and she has the final say on seating arrangements, designer celebrity pairings and arrivals that leads me to what I call the exclusive effect in marketing, which I will be diving into in the extended episode. Not only will we talk about how the Met Gala became even more popular when it created barriers to entry, but how other artists and brands and creators have done the same, making their content more interesting and viral by actually scaling it back. Then I will talk about my prediction for which new faces we will see at the met gala in 2025. This episode goes out Monday morning, which means you might listen to or see the episode if you're watching on Substack the morning before the Met Gala airs. So I hope you enjoy paying coconuts. I will see you on the other.