Your Met Gala Questions Answered!

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Your Met Gala Questions Answered!"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Run-Through with Vogue
• Host/Author: Vogue
• Episode: Your Met Gala Questions Answered!
• Release Date: May 2, 2025

Introduction

In the episode titled "Your Met Gala Questions Answered!", hosts Chioma Nnadi and Chloe Mel delve deep into the intricacies of the upcoming 2025 Met Gala. Taped from Studio One at Conde Nast, the episode features insightful conversations with Vogue contributor Edie Kiernan Bunzel and GQ's Global Fashion Director, Miles Pope. Together, they unravel the complexities of organizing one of fashion's most anticipated events, offering listeners an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Met Gala’s preparation, themes, and surprises.

Hosts and Guests

• Chloe Mel – Editor of Vogue.com
• Chioma Nnadi – Head of British Vogue
• Edie Kiernan Bunzel – Contributor at Vogue and Met Gala organizer
• Miles Pope – Global Fashion Director at GQ

Met Gala Theme and Overview

The 2025 Met Gala centers around the theme "Black Style," exploring the intersection of Black identity and dandyism within fashion. Edie Kiernan Bunzel describes the theme as a celebration of "black excellence" and "community", emphasizing the transformative power of fashion (04:47).

Behind-the-Scenes Preparation

Edie Bunzel shares her extensive history with the Met Gala, having started as an intern in 2007 and gradually ascending to her current role overseeing the event since 2013 (03:12). Her dedication underscores the meticulous planning that goes into every aspect of the Gala, from guest list curation to thematic execution.

Miles Pope complements this by discussing his eight-year tenure at GQ and his collaborative efforts with Vogue. Last year, he played a pivotal role by "pulling designers for the livestream," ensuring a seamless integration of GQ’s menswear focus into the Gala's framework (04:12).

Design and Exhibition: Exploring Dandyism

A significant highlight of the episode is the discussion on dandyism, particularly through the lens of designer Tyler Mitchell's photography. Miles Pope elaborates on the 40-creative portfolio shoot styled by Laura Roche, capturing the essence of "dandyism" as both an attitude and a "highest form of sophistication" (06:05).

Spotlight on Dapper Dan

Miles Pope passionately discusses his admiration for Dapper Dan, describing him as "the embodiment of a modern dandy" with "raw energy" and unique "swagger" (06:05). He highlights Dapper Dan’s influence on transformative dressing and character building in fashion, emphasizing his pivotal role in the upcoming Gala.

Storyboards and the War Room

Chloe Mel and Miles Pope shed light on the strategic operations conducted in the Met’s War Room. This bunker-like setup in the museum's basement is where real-time updates and live blogging occur, ensuring that every fashion moment is captured and disseminated promptly (27:26).

Decorations and Logistics

Edie Bunzel discusses the collaboration with artist Sai Gevan and decor specialist Raul Avila to transform the Met’s information booth into a stunning centerpiece. An example includes the "razor blade chandelier" paired with "neon pink roses," showcasing the blend of punk aesthetics with floral elegance (18:14).

Raul shares the challenges of logistics, such as preparing 250,000 roses and managing installations under tight time constraints. The meticulous attention to detail ensures that every decor element aligns seamlessly with the Gala's overarching theme (18:55).

Seating Chart and Guest List

One of the most intricate tasks highlighted is the creation of the seating chart. Edie describes the process as an "agonizing amount of time" spent on ensuring harmonious interactions among guests. Factors like personal relationships, potential collaborations, and even avoiding sight lines with ex-partners are meticulously considered (23:11).

Anecdotes include the unexpected arrival of a French president and the subsequent adjustments made to the seating arrangements, illustrating the dynamic nature of event planning (21:08).

Red Carpet and Best-Dressed Lists

Chloe Mel explains the real-time compilation of best-dressed lists, coordinated with Anna Wintour. Christian Allaire from Vogue plays a crucial role by selecting standout outfits as soon as they appear on the red carpet, ensuring the list is updated and published promptly (29:14).

Anecdotes and Memorable Moments

Edie reminisces about the late Andre Leantalli, an iconic figure known for his dramatic flair and towering presence. His influence on Vogue and the Met Gala remains palpable, from orchestrating impromptu fashion shows to his vibrant personality that left a lasting impact on the team (34:15).

Another memorable story recounts a 2017 incident where a naked performer was forcibly removed from the red carpet, highlighting the unpredictable nature of hosting such a high-profile event (37:09).

Trend Forecasting

Both Edie and Miles discuss upcoming fashion trends, emphasizing the resurgence of 80s opulence and glamorous styles. Miles anticipates a surge in accessories, particularly brooches and unique jewelry, while Edie points out the versatility of platforms like eBay in discovering "one-of-a-kind" vintage pieces that inspire current fashion trends (15:37).

Conclusion

The episode concludes with immense enthusiasm for the upcoming Met Gala, underlining the collaborative spirit and creative energy that define the event. Hosts encourage listeners to stay tuned for live updates and special episodes, promising an unforgettable night filled with fashion-forward moments and unexpected surprises.

Notable Quotes:

• Edie Kiernan Bunzel (04:47): "This portfolio of 40 creatives is a true explanation of black excellence."
• Miles Pope (06:05): "Dapper Dan is the true embodiment of that attitude and the highest form of sophistication."
• Edie Kiernan Bunzel (18:14): "The razor blade chandelier for punk was amazing."
• Chloe Mel (29:24): "The cheese is essential. We all need brain food."
• Edie Kiernan Bunzel (34:15): "Andre was larger than life in terms of his stature and always brought exuberance and joy."

Final Thoughts

"Your Met Gala Questions Answered!" offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the Met Gala's behind-the-scenes operations. Through candid conversations and personal anecdotes, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the meticulous planning and creative genius that culminate in one of fashion's most iconic events.

Transcript

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

This episode of the Run through is brought to you by ebay. I'm Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue's beauty editor at large. Everyone's talking about tassels right now, and that's the moment that I end up typing it into ebay. I found the perfect vintage triple chain belt with golden tassels, and it just looks so elegant, timeless. And it's on the way in the mail to me. Thanks to ebay.

[Chloe Mel]

Welcome, everybody. We are so excited to be here and have you here. This is the Run Through. I'm Chloe Mel.

[Joe Menadi]

And I'm Joe Menadi.

[Chloe Mel]

And we are so grateful to everyone for joining us today, taping from Studio One at Conde Nast. We are mere days away from the Met Gala. In fact, we are the last day of April, anticipating the first Monday in May. And few people get the opportunity to see what goes into the colossal, magnificent undertaking that is the Met Gala. So we are very excited to have Vogue contributor Edie Kiernan Bunzel and GQ's global fashion director, Miles Pope here to take us behind the scenes of this year's gala and exhibition.

[Miles Pope]

Thank you for having us.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Hi. Thank you.

[Joe Menadi]

So this year's, I guess, dress code and theme is tailored for you. And the exhibit is super fine tailoring Black Style, which explores the intersection of style, black identity, and dandyism. And we have some really fabulous co hosts this year. We have Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams. And it's been so amazing to see that come to life in the May issue. So, Edie and Myles, can you introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about your role in relation to the Met Gala? I think we should have Edie first.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Hi, I'm Edie Kiernan Bunzel, and I'm a contributor at Vogue.

[Chloe Mel]

Edie's being modest. Edie is the czar of the Met Gala. The Met Gala doesn't happen without Edie. So.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Well, I used to work at Vogue full time, and now I work on the Met Gala specifically, which has been so much fun.

[Chloe Mel]

When I first started at Vogue Almost 15 years ago, Edie was working as Anna's second assistant.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Third assistant.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh, I'm so sorry. Third assistant. She was quickly promoted to second assistant, and then I saw her rise.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

I remember your interview, Chloe, with Anna, and you told her that you like to sleep in your free time.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

That's true.

[Chloe Mel]

It was not well received, but we powered through.

[Joe Menadi]

Edie. Edie, you also were there for my interview.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yeah, I remember a lot of interviews.

[Joe Menadi]

Edie was like, the person that you wanted to see before you went into Anna. Cause she was so calming, and she gave me, like, a lovely compliment about my outfit, and I just felt like, okay, now I can breathe. I'm.

[Chloe Mel]

Edie was giving maternal poise a decade before she was a mother.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

But.

[Chloe Mel]

Edie, how long have you been working on the Met Gala? When was. When did that become your fiefdom?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Let's see. So I started as an intern in 2007 and then was in Anna's office in 2010. So I think I moved over to the events department in 2013. So I've gotten to see a lot of Met Galas, which has been. It's fun to see it evolve.

[Chloe Mel]

Myles, what about you? You've been at GQ for how long now?

[Miles Pope]

Eight years come May. Wow. Yeah, I started as an intern in the fashion closet. My first job out of college.

[Chloe Mel]

Wow.

[Miles Pope]

What's Conde Nast? And we've been here ever since.

[Chloe Mel]

Yeah.

[Miles Pope]

Lifer, Lifer.

[Chloe Mel]

What is your experience with the Met Gala ban? Because as everyone knows, the Met Gala is very much a Vogue event, but we are a global team, and we always love to involve our GQ colleagues, especially for an exhibition like this year, which is so focused on menswear.

[Miles Pope]

Yeah, my first Met Gala working, it actually was last year. I always, like, watch from behind the scenes all the amazing things Vogue does.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Miles saved us. He's amazing.

[Chloe Mel]

What did he do?

[Miles Pope]

I was pulling designers for the livestream, which was, like, really, really great and fun. It's just. I mean, we know so many of the designers, so it's just like, guys, you have to do this for us. Let's do it. And this year, I'm doing the same thing, and this one is all about menswear. So I think we're really excited for this big men's Met.

[Joe Menadi]

There was one story in particular that we shared across both GQ and Vogue, which kind of unpacked that theme, the theme of dandyism. And I'd love to know what it was like pulling that together, because I know Laura Roche styled it.

[Miles Pope]

Yes.

[Joe Menadi]

There were about 40 people in it.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yes.

[Joe Menadi]

I mean, tell us everything. I know Tyler Mitchell shot it.

[Miles Pope]

Oh, my gosh.

[Joe Menadi]

I thought it was such a beautiful shoot.

[Miles Pope]

It was such an incredible experience. This portfolio of, like, 40 creatives and, you know, a true explanation of black excellence is running in the May issue of Vogue and is running in the summer issue of gq. And it really brought together this idea of community and this, you know, the concept of dandyism. I mean, Law styled it. And, I mean, some of us have worked with Law where we know him very well, and he's a true icon in what he does and approaches every project with an arsenal of information. And he truly has so much inspiration that he builds everything upon. And I had the privilege of being. We did two days in la, one day in New York. And to just see all of these people come together and know that they're being a part of something super special for both GQ and Vogue was truly incredible.

[Joe Menadi]

Was there anyone that you were sort of excited to see or hadn't met before or you were impressed by on the set?

[Miles Pope]

I mean, I'm a huge Dapper Dan fan. Anything Dapper Dan, I'm, like, fully on board with.

[Chloe Mel]

Will you give those uninitiated among us a little Dapper Daniel?

[Miles Pope]

Yeah, absolutely. So, I mean, I first got introduced to Dapper Dan at GQ when I first started. We did a kind of like, a breakouts portfolio of him, and then we shot him when he did his big collaboration with Gucci. And I've just been so inspired by how he dresses and his, like, take on, you know, transformative dressing and really using the art of fashion as, like, a character platform to, like, build a character for yourself. And. And he just has a raw energy to him, and he just has a swagger like no one else, and is truly the embodiment of a modern dandy. And there's so many different explanations to what dandy means, but I've always described it as an attitude and the highest form of sophistication. And Dapper Dan is a true embodiment of that. And was amazing to see him just on set and truly know that this was his moment.

[Joe Menadi]

Well, I know. I love the quote that you shared on your Instagram. I'm from the poorest neighborhood in Harlem. Whenever I was lucky and fortunate enough to have something to wear, I went to 120 Fifth Street. Nobody went there who wasn't dressed at 120 Fifth Street. Nobody knew I had rats. Nobody knew I had roaches. And that, for me, was a birth of dandyism because I saw the power of transformation that could take place with clothes.

[Miles Pope]

Yeah, that quote meant something. It's just, like, really close to me. I'm just having him have said that in the GQ article, it just ties back to this idea of. Of, like, dress can transform you and take you somewhere. And this idea of dandyism, you can just build a character for yourself. And it's high dressing. It's like, how you want to see people dressed. And he takes such pride in the way he presents himself to the world. And it's all about the accessories and the fit, the pant length, the texture, the fabrications, the embroidery. It was that quote just really stood out to me.

[Joe Menadi]

Did he like this? Did he instantly love the look? Was that the first look that was presented to him? Love the look.

[Miles Pope]

We showed him a couple, but he saw this and was like down, like, this is what we're doing. And it's such an amazing moment. That whole.

[Joe Menadi]

Is it completely embroidered?

[Miles Pope]

It's completely embroidered.

[Joe Menadi]

On our list, this. We should explain that it has pink roses or are those peonies?

[Miles Pope]

Yeah, pink roses. And it has the vines throughout it. All hand embroidered. So Dolce Altamota is Dolce and Gabbana's couture collection. Right, right. And it's always a feat to get. So this was like a big moment for GQ and the Vogue to when we got this confirmed and you know, the way Law puts anything and everything together, you're like, wow, it's pretty special.

[Chloe Mel]

I do want to know a little bit more about working with Law because we talk about him very casually because we are all very familiar with his work, but not everyone is. Will you give us a little background on the larger than life on all things Law?

[Miles Pope]

Yeah. Law describes himself as an image architect. And I think that's the perfect part.

[Chloe Mel]

I think he's trademarked.

[Miles Pope]

Trademarked it like fully. It was really great. This was my second time really working with Law and the scale of this project was huge. So him coming to us with this range of inspiration, he had everything from pictures from an archive that he pulled to Instagram posts, to historical black history images. And he just comes to the table with such knowledge, not just about fashion, but about like American history, black history, and wanted to bring all of that to this. So it was truly incredible to see how he worked. I mean, his team working with him on this was rather large. Cause it was such a. Like a mammoth of a project. But on set, he would board everything. Every single look was like printed. Every inspiration look was printed and boarded. And it was so great. Just explain what boarded means on set. At times we like print all of the key looks and like pin them to a board. So if you're walking talent or the photographer through anything, you can see it's kind of just a real life inspiration board or mood board. So to really look at that and see all of the images and research that Law put into this shoot was truly incredible. And it's something that, like, I haven't. I haven't seen before, and I've been doing this for a minute. So just having him approach this with such care and knowledge was really great to see.

[Chloe Mel]

I have to say, in almost 15 years at Vogue, there's been a lot of ambitious large scale, multi character shoots, but this is one of the most ambitious. And this was an amazing number of characters and luminaries and such a range. It was Spike Lee, Janelle Monae, Ayo Edebiri. What was it like? What was the Vibe on set? Were there any funny or weird stories? What were different interactions between?

[Miles Pope]

The Vibe was a party. I think it was so great to have everyone on set. And there were some people who were really close friends of each other. There were some people who liked. It was the first time meeting, but.

[Joe Menadi]

Okay.

[Chloe Mel]

Who met for the first time and was excited to meet each other.

[Miles Pope]

Ooh. Oh.

[Chloe Mel]

And who knew each other and were friends.

[Miles Pope]

Okay. So it was Keith Powers, Danielle Dudwiler, that image. They all didn't meet before. And that was incredible because then you're all coming together in a picture and you're like, okay, we need to Vibe. And then of course, you had Teyana Taylor and Jennelle Monae, who knew each other, and, like, that was such an incredible moment to see. But the music on set was like, no other from, like, what's the dj?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

The soundtrack.

[Miles Pope]

So the DJ was one of Law's assistants.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[Miles Pope]

It was just, like, so great. It was everything from, like, Diana Ross to Whitney Houston to Luther Vandross, and, like, everyone was vibing. So you knew when, like, the song came on, you heard, like, some cheers and you're like, okay, we're ready for this photo. Like, we have the right music. Let's get this going. So that was, like, a really big standout for me, was just, like, seeing the true community of people. And everyone was like, wow, we're, like, doing this for Vogue. Like, let's go big. And the fashion was wild. We had all this amazing jewelry. It was just like, a really great ambiance on set. It just exuded such positive energy and knew that we were making history. So it was great.

[Joe Menadi]

So cool. I mean, you also worked on A$AP Rocky's amazing cover. He's wearing Oswald Boateng in that beautiful green suit. Tell us. Tell us about that. We spoke to Rocky recently, and he was very excited about this.

[Miles Pope]

Oh, my gosh, this was amazing. This was such a fun shoot. This is, like an archived Oswald suit that Law And Oswald pulled together. And Oswald bolting is if not one of the only black Savile Row tailor. He's just an incredible Savile Row tailor.

[Joe Menadi]

He was also the creative director of Givenchy.

[Miles Pope]

Givenchy, yes. So we couldn't do the shoot without him. So we had. His whole team was really collaborating with us throughout all of the shoots that you see in Vogue. For the May issue, Coleman's wearing it. It's also in the portfolio. And then of course on asap. And this one just really stood out. Law really wanted something of some color. And this screamed color and also like screamed dandy with all the accessories, the brooch, the watches, the ring. It was just like the perfect combination. Law and ASAP had a conversation and Law walked him through all the confirmations and he was like, I'm ready for this.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Super fine.

[Joe Menadi]

Yeah, it is, isn't it? It was really the definition of. I mean, I feel like every single brooch in New York at every major fashion house is probably in the Vogue and gq.

[Miles Pope]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. And they're working their way back into this building. Truly.

[Chloe Mel]

I was also very into the Dalmatians. Oh, my gosh. ASAP photographed. Were they well behaved?

[Miles Pope]

Very well behaved. Great co stars. You know, we need them in the office always. That shoot was incredible. That shot was incredible. He's wearing a Jacques Mousse polka dotted coat, which was. Which was. Just walked the Runway we just pulled was great. That was to see him on the street, interacting with the dogs and just like embodying this Persona of like, just like owning this moment. I mean, A$AP owns every single moment he has. Let's be very clear. But that was just. This was great. This was one of my favorite shoots that I've worked on. So such a privilege to have been able to like collaborate with the Vogue team and like have Vogue bring GQ into this very special moment.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

The other day I like went on a real ebay spree. There's this huge push for like 80s opulence and 80s sort of glamour. And we're going to see that returning. And so I was already kind of tapped into that just from my gorgeous ebay watch list. And I found a really beautiful Chloe blazer from the 80s and a really great Miu Miu kilt, these great Dior boots. And I'm combining them all together. Sometimes trend forecasting doesn't require something that's going to be like, produced in the future. Sometimes you can like tap into the past and tap into the archive as well. That's what makes ebay a fun place to actually discover things, because you're not going in with something so specific in mind, but you have an idea of what you're interested in or what you're excited about or, you know, just truly trend forecasting. And so one thing that I would say people should be watching out for is, like, very opulent, 80s style.

[Joe Menadi]

I think you might be one of the few people who's seen storyboards of the actual exhibit.

[Chloe Mel]

Or.

[Miles Pope]

Yes.

[Joe Menadi]

So tell. What can you give away?

[Miles Pope]

Ooh. I think everyone should, like, get excited. It's like a true moment.

[Joe Menadi]

You're not giving too much away.

[Miles Pope]

Not giving too much away. But we.

[Joe Menadi]

What was exciting of. Did you go or you've seen storyboards?

[Miles Pope]

Yeah, so I saw storyboards. Monica Miller, who's co curating it this year, walked me and a few of the GQ team through the chapters of the exhibition and a few of key looks and the objet and decorative arts that she has in it. And it was really great to kind of go behind the scenes at the Met and really just have someone really walk you through it. So it was great to have the curator really walk you through all of the ideas. Ask questions, ask, like, is this being included? How did you feel about this? How did you secure this look? Like, there are pieces that we haven't seen in such a long time, so that was really a privilege to be able to see that. And we went into that knowing that we'd be working on this issue with the Vogue team. So having that background in history was great to. Great to have.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

I was really impressed by the breadth of history too, because it spans 300 years, if I'm not mistaken.

[Chloe Mel]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

And Monica is an academic herself. She's head of Africana Studies at Barnard College, and she's come to it with such an academic eye, but then brought it from the more historical period up to contemporary fashion. So I think it's really cool to see that trajectory.

[Miles Pope]

Absolutely.

[Joe Menadi]

It's incredible. I can't wait to see it.

[Chloe Mel]

Okay, so, Edie, let's go back in time. You can say all that now that you know everything about Monica and everything about the exhibition, but it's the moment you learn what the theme and the exhibition is for the 2025 Met Gala. What is the next step?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Next up is call Raul Avila, who has done the decor for years and years and years, and we start thinking about what the decor is going to look like, what we're going. It's always a big moment when we decide how we're going to sort of transform the information booth, which is when you first walk in, that's what we try and have be our biggest wow moment. And we always try and bring in a different collaborator. So this year we spoke with Jodi Kazanjan, Vogue's art editor, and she said, well, you have to call Sai Gevan. He's most incredible artist. His paintings are in the museum and Sai is creative directing a lot of the decor for this year.

[Chloe Mel]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

So it's so incredible to get to work with Sy.

[Chloe Mel]

What's an example of one of the more dramatic transformations of the information booth?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

So I would say I thought the razor blade chandelier for punk was amazing. Thousands and thousands of razor blades coming from the ceiling. And then there were these neon pink roses down below. I thought that was really amazing.

[Chloe Mel]

I have to say, it always blows my mind that Raoul is one of the. Like Edie, he projects calm no matter what the chaos under the surface. But Raul telling you about how 250,000 roses have to be brought into the museum for this event and each one hand inspected for bugs. Because God forbid, if one bug gets in that museum and starts eating a medieval tapestry, you better believe there's going to be a problem.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Oh, God.

[Chloe Mel]

So, I mean, just the time of inspecting every leaf of a rose and.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Reinspecting and treating and. Yeah, and also Raoul and his team only have basically the night before to put everything in, to install everything. So they just don't sleep.

[Chloe Mel]

Yeah, Raoul always says that starting like Saturday night, he and his team, basically, there's just. They're on a no sleep situation.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yeah, exactly.

[Chloe Mel]

That's something. It's remarkable because they only have. The museum is open on Sunday. No, it is.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

There are parts of it that we start sort of sectioning off because we have to cover up the Nile in Egypt.

[Miles Pope]

Excuse me, say that again.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

If you're familiar with the Temple of Dender, there's essentially a mini version of the Nile and that gets covered up. We sell tables on top of the Nile. Basically.

[Miles Pope]

That was pretty interesting. We have to cover the Nile in Egypt for the mat.

[Chloe Mel]

So the Nile is covered on Sunday, but Raul and his team don't get in to start building the floor Sunday night centerpiece until. So it's really like a mix of files of Basili Frankweiler coming in in the dark of night. Right, okay.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yeah. Even for a surprise performer, we always try and time it so that any rehearsals that have to be on site are when anyone could see them. There's a lot of Secrecy around it, but it's part of the excitement. I think that it's a big surprise.

[Chloe Mel]

There are a lot of big surprises. Yeah, I want to know. Speaking of surprises, when the guest list starts to come together, we start a.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Presale usually in September, when we'll start calling around to a lot of brands and individuals who supported us for many, many years. So we always try first to give them the first call. And that typically sells out in a matter of days where people will say, we'll take four tickets, one ticket, a table of 10 seats. And then probably December, January, we start getting some calls about, we'd love to bring these people. We think they're a great embodiment of the theme. And then that continues all the way through because inevitably there'll be drops or different fun puzzles that come up. Someone's in town. Suddenly. A couple of years ago, I got a call from. It was someone on Carla Bruni's team saying that her husband would like to come.

[Joe Menadi]

Oh my God. Did he come the day.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yeah, he came day of.

[Chloe Mel]

Edie got a call, if I recall correctly, from a security person, a French security person who said, excusez moi, le president is coming. And Edie had to call Anna and say, excuse me, Anna, did you invite a French president and not tell me? She's like, oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, I did.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

He accepted. So, good news. We'll adjust the seating chart.

[Chloe Mel]

So the seating chart is a point of much myth and legend. It is a big white poster board with pink, blue and purple little stickies. They're velcro backed pieces of paper that are moved like game board pieces around this amazing map of the temple of Dendor and all the tables. And this goes up on an easel in one of the conference rooms at Vogue a month ahead of time, usually.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

A month ahead, yeah.

[Chloe Mel]

And it is treated with great secrecy, but honestly, if you don't have eagle eyes, it doesn't really matter.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

People apologize when they come and they say, I'm so sorry, I'm not looking. Can I just ask you a question? If I put my back to the, to the board and then also anytime I have to bring the board home, we cover it up.

[Joe Menadi]

You take the board home.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Oh my gosh. I waddle home with the board. And why? It feels like. Why? Well, sometimes, you know, over the weekend or something, there could be an urgent seating.

[Joe Menadi]

Oh my God.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

But people have taken photos me out in the wild with this board and I'm always. We cover it with a tarp to try and make sure you know, there's no. No divulge.

[Joe Menadi]

How'd you get in a cab with the subway? Oh, my God.

[Miles Pope]

We also have to level up the tarp. We need to get you, like, a chic blanket.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

You have something super chic.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh, my God. Perfect. But I do feel like people underestimate how much time is put into the seating chart. I mean, I see you and Anna Wintour, who is a busy woman, as are you, poring over this day after day. What is some of the mental gymnastics that goes into putting this seating chart together?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

We are always trying to think about different configurations, about really. Anna will go through every single person and say, okay, this person. What are they going to say to the person next to them?

[Chloe Mel]

So do you have a list of, like, I don't know. Pharrell loves to jog. Hannah, big runner. Also talk about marathons. Like, what is there, like, a list of interests?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Honestly, Sasha Taylor on our team, the director of special events for Vogue, is so exceptional at knowing everyone's interest, who they've dated, who they've had flirtations with that are not confirmed. It is so incredible. It's one of Sasha's many, many talents. But I think you really have to think about that or who had an awkward business situation, because it's a confluence in a perfect world of the best of sports and tech and fashion and music and film. And there can be a lot of potential collaborations and maybe romances.

[Chloe Mel]

That's a collaboration.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yeah, exactly.

[Joe Menadi]

People have met their partners at the Met for sure.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

I think so.

[Chloe Mel]

Absolutely. There's all these stories of people who meet at the Met. Yeah. Also, not just who people are sitting next to you, but I loved you told me a while ago that also people. Sight lines are a consideration. And not being in the sight line.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Of an ex or any girlfriend.

[Chloe Mel]

Being in the sight line of an ex.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

We've had complaints about that over the years. So it's something we really try and think about, even if it's six tables down. And you know, that's insane.

[Chloe Mel]

Edie.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

It is. It is.

[Joe Menadi]

Oh, my God.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

But, yes. So to answer your question, yes, we spend an agonizing amount of time trying to be as intentional as we can about the seating chart.

[Joe Menadi]

And when does the seating chart close? Like, when do you close the business? Are you done with the seating chart?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

That's the other really tricky thing is people constantly are texting saying, can you just tell me who I'm sitting next to? And I'll say, I really can't, because it's gonna Change right up until right before.

[Joe Menadi]

Right to the night of.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yes. Until minutes before.

[Chloe Mel]

Where is the board? On the Met. Like, is it brought to the Met?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yes. We bring it into the museum, cover it with our tarp, just in case. And the other funny thing, too, is when we're leaving, the security guards always check to make sure that they look under the tarp. And I say, no, I swear, it's not a painting.

[Chloe Mel]

Do you think it's a painting?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Yes.

[Joe Menadi]

Oh, my God. Hilarious.

[Chloe Mel]

Wow. Okay, I want to know a listener question, which is, how do you decide the color of the red carpet?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Well, the creative decor team really decides that it's almost always painted sisal. It's funny looking back at that picture of Rihanna from China through the Looking Glass. It's evolved so much over the years because we used to have a red carpet, and now it's usually some sort of creative decor element.

[Chloe Mel]

Last year was green.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Last year was green. So it was meant to look like moss kind of coming out of an enchanted garden for Sleeping Beauty.

[Chloe Mel]

Yes.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Let's be specific. And this year, a big surprise. We'll see.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

We get a lot of texts asking about that because people don't. We've had people ask what the pantone shade will be.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Chloe Mel]

Because they don't want to match, because.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

They don't want to blend in. So it's a coveted secret.

[Chloe Mel]

Wow.

[Joe Menadi]

It's not going to be pinstripe, then.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

In that case, I can't tell you.

[Chloe Mel]

Choma's panicking.

[Joe Menadi]

Hopefully not.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I like ebay for one of a kind items. Things that feel limited edition or collections that can't be found in stores. And with the ebay authenticity guarantee, I know that when it arrives, it's real. It is a piece that is coming from the designer's collection, the designer's archive. One of the biggest conversation points for some of the parties that I'll go to during Fashion Week are the pieces that I'm getting off of ebay. Everyone's a little bit intrigued and excited whenever they hear that you were able to find something on this digital treasure hunt.

[Joe Menadi]

I mean, I think a lot of people don't realize that there's an entire bunker under the Met devoted to or called the War Room, where, Chloe, you spend a lot of the night.

[Chloe Mel]

We do. And not just night because of. For security reasons, we need to be in the war room, which is in the basement of the museum, by 2pm wow. So we are there, set up with our computers, our dongles, our refillable water bottles, everything that we the rice cookie order food is a whole separate discussion. We have lots of catering happening. We also have a special delivery of levain cookies, Bon Bon gummies and Murray's cheese. These are important things.

[Miles Pope]

You guys do not play around.

[Chloe Mel]

No, no, we don't mess. We are all down there. There's about six tables and everyone's seated around. It's very much like a UN General assembly where everyone's just sort of chatting to each other, calling out different breakouts. I'm doing J. Lo's beauty. Don't do her fashion so we don't double up. I'll mention what she's wearing. I just published this. Can someone take a second read? And everyone sort of. There are slack channels, but it's also a very communal in person experience and it's a fun energy. And we have a huge screen in the front of the room that's playing the livestream. So we are watching the livestream in real time. And the Vogue Runway team manned the live blog and so they are constantly, every two minutes they are updating with a new live blog entry about what someone is wearing. And that'll include like, TK dress was inspired by Andre Leon Talley's suit from like. We have all the sort of backgrounds on the looks that we are feeding to everyone through the live vlogs as soon as people hit the red carpet.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow. And I feel like a lot of people. And I'm sure this has been an ongoing question to you over the years because you've been queen of the dress list in your first tenure at Vogue.

[Chloe Mel]

That's true.

[Joe Menadi]

And your second. So how does that work? I know obviously you're making those selects in consult with Anna, like in real time or how does it work?

[Chloe Mel]

So the best dressed list, there is obviously a huge gallery of everyone hitting the red carpet. And that is being updated from the moment the first person sets foot on the probably not red carpet. Maybe pinstriped carpet, not moss carpet. And then Christian Allaire, our senior style writer, is positioned on the carpet and he takes note of who he thinks are the best dressed of the evening. I'm on a text chain with Christian and then he is sending me those. I put them together. And then we started doing this last year because it is important that we publish the best dress list as soon as possible. I go upstairs and have like two minutes in Anna's schedule where I go over the best dress list with her and she says, yes, no, add this person. So and so looked great. What about so and so? And then I Scurry back downstairs, have my cheese, and update the list, and goes live.

[Joe Menadi]

The cheese is essential. The cheese is key. We all need brain. Brain food. I mean, I'd love to sort of talk a little bit about the fashion side, because I think people don't realize, like, how collaborative it is. And I know, Myles, you've been involved on this side of things that often you're consulting the design houses, you're talking to the attendees. You know, they want the input. They want to know how they should show up. Like, what kind of questions come through to you about the fashion?

[Miles Pope]

I think we've definitely gotten, like, a few sketches from people. We're like, which one do you guys like? Or which watch should I wear? You know, the GQ guy loves a watch. So all the guys come to us being like, okay, we need a great watch. This will complete this look. We've gotten everything down to, like, stud sets or, like, cufflinks. Like, all the little details.

[Joe Menadi]

When are you gonna see the cufflinks? Really?

[Miles Pope]

You never know. You put your hand in your pocket.

[Chloe Mel]

The details make the man.

[Joe Menadi]

You're right, you're right, you're right, you're right.

[Miles Pope]

So. So, yeah, gq, we get a few emails kind of filtered through our talent team being like, sos, can you connect me to fashion? We need some help. So that's always great to just, like, you know, people come to us as, like, the authority in menswear to just be like, what do you guys think I should do between, like, an opera pump or, like, a brogue? Which should I pick? So that's.

[Chloe Mel]

Would you like to tell us what an opera pump is?

[Miles Pope]

Ooh, it's kind of like a men's flat. I'm very into it. You might see me in one on Monday.

[Joe Menadi]

Is this going to be a trend? On what trends do we. I mean, obviously, we've talked about brooches. I think we can safely say that.

[Miles Pope]

There will definitely be some brooches. I think we'll see a lot of accessories. I want to see a lot of jewelry. A lot. A lot of jewelry. And I want to see some, like, new interpretations of, like, suiting. I don't want to see anyone in a classic black suit. I want to see, like, shots fired. Shots fired. I want, like, pattern. I want color. I want, like, unique silhouettes. I want people to, like, have fun and, like, play around with it. Yeah.

[Chloe Mel]

Obviously, the Met guest list is shrouded in a lot of secrecy, but there are people we know who are attending, especially this year, because there is A host, a larger host committee, and some of those people have relationships with certain fashion houses. So, for example, Colman Domingo, we know, works with Valentino a lot and loves Alessandra Michele. So I think his look is going to be. Are there any other major moments, either from a designer or an attendee, Miles, that you're really looking forward to seeing?

[Miles Pope]

I mean, I definitely want to see everything and all things Grace Wells Bonner. I think this is also, like, her big moment. Jerry Lorenzo is just known for playing with silhouettes. When it comes to, like, tailoring, if it's, like, oversized or exaggerated, I'd love to see him also play with some color. Pharrell. The icons. Dapper Dan, Spike Lee, Choma.

[Joe Menadi]

Yeah, same. I mean, I always want to see what Rihanna's gonna wear. I hope she's coming. I have no idea. I cannot give any input, but Edie won't tell us. No, they won't tell us. But I think, yeah, we're all eyes. So very excited and. Yeah. And I want to see, like. I think you're right. It's a real moment for some designers that don't usually get that red carpet spotlight. It'll be very cool. And I'm sure there are gonna be some promotion, some surprises. In fact, I know there are gonna be some surprises, so I think it's gonna be a really interesting night.

[Chloe Mel]

I do think it's important this year to remember one of the great, I would say, sort of presiding kings of the Met gala was Andre Leantalli, who was an archetypical dandy. And Edie and I got to work with him at Vogue. Edie more than me. But I'm curious, Edie, what are some of your favorite memories of Andre, both at Vogue and at the Met?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Gosh, Andre was so. He was 6 foot 6. So he was larger than life just in terms of his stature and always wearing heels and capes and that kind of thing. And you always knew when he was in the office. I think about him, especially in four Times Square, when he had this booming voice down the hall. And when I was an intern, he would always sort of bring us all into the fashion closet, which is sort of our domain. And he kind of have the assistants all leave, and he's like, okay, we're gonna have a try on. And he'd find these gorgeous haute couture pieces that the advertisers had for the interns to be, you know, playing dress up in. And he's like, okay, you try this one on. It's not gonna Zip on you. But that's okay. And we'll just style it with this. And, you know, instruct us and say, oh, you should never carry a handbag because you'll destroy your glissade, of course. Which is, I think, sort of a very elegant ballerina step, which now I think about. Cause I'm always carrying a diaper bag. No glissade to speak of. And just this exuberance and joy and. And actually his funeral service was a few days before The Met in 2022 at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem. And I was super, super pregnant with my daughter Grace at the time. And the choir was just magnificent. It was so powerful. But the reverberations from the choir sent me into literal contractions.

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Which I was sort of saying to Anna. Okay, I just texted my ob. I think I might actually be having contractions right now. But it was fine. But you think that Andre, with his love for the dramatic, he would have loved knowing that his funeral choir nearly sent a woman into labor.

[Chloe Mel]

I remember one of my first few weeks at Vogue, Andre came in and was looking at a shoot that had just come in. And there were some small birds in the shoot, like sparrows that were part of it. I think it was a Grace and Annie shoot. And I just heard him in the art department going, we need hawks, we need herons, we need bigger birds.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

I was like, this is first. That's so funny.

[Chloe Mel]

You, Edie, what are some crazy red carpet arrival moments that really stumped you?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Well, I would say the red carpet arrivals process has evolved a lot over the years, and we've learned a lot of lessons. And one, I think it was for when we were celebrating Rei Kawakubo Comme des Garcons in 2017. We had somewhat. Two men got out of a Suburban and brought to the front of the check in line someone in a glass box. And we quickly realized that it was a naked person in a glass box. And I think at the time, I think of Lila Ramsey standing there, getting ready to do the best dress list, kind of looking curiously. And Lila later told me she thought maybe it was Lady Gaga. And it turned out it was a Russian performance artist who was crashing.

[Joe Menadi]

Oh, my God.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

So. And he had to.

[Chloe Mel]

So how did you get him out of the box?

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Well, the box had some leather straps that had to be pulled off of the red carpet. And then NYPD and the fire department used a fire saw basically to hack into it and get him out.

[Joe Menadi]

So it was sealed, I'm sure.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

I mean, There had to be some sort of air holes, but yes, not good for Cluster.

[Joe Menadi]

So David Copperfield, individually.

[Miles Pope]

That's insane.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

But yeah, so that was. Was jarring. And I think, again, a lot of lessons learned there. Sort of an Emperor's New Clothes moment.

[Chloe Mel]

Probably Emperor's no clothes.

[Miles Pope]

Yes.

[Joe Menadi]

Dress code is naked.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Yeah.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Really?

[Joe Menadi]

Wow.

[Chloe Mel]

I loved last year how Tyla arrived in a dress made of sand and then there was just like sand sort of sprinkled across the carpet as if someone was like tracking the beach in at a beach rental.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

That was so. So last year, the theme of the exhibition was Sleeping Beauties. And we always try and have some sort of creative take on the theme for the dress code. So the theme last year was Sleeping Beauties, but the dress code was the Garden of Time. And I thought this was one of the most amazing interpretations of the dress code. And I think it.

[Joe Menadi]

What she.

[Chloe Mel]

The Sands of Time. Yeah.

[Joe Menadi]

Well, I just have to interject really quickly. Cause I almost ruined this girl's career. Cause her PR sent me this look, a sketch of it. And you couldn't really get an impression of it. It just looked like a kind of a dress with. And I said, oh, I don't think she should wear that.

[Miles Pope]

Wow.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Haterade.

[Joe Menadi]

But look how amazing it was. It was so incredible. I literally felt like I almost ruined the most viral. I almost, like sent our traffic plummeting.

[Chloe Mel]

Because truly you would have destroyed.

[Joe Menadi]

I just didn't see it in the. I just didn't see the vision. But I should have done Tyler.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

She just rocked it, honestly. She looked so amazing in it. She had such. And it was made of sand.

[Chloe Mel]

She had to be carried up the steps.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

I think Olivier cut it, actually. He took out some shears and cut it so that she could function when she was off at the red carpet. But she was so game about it. It was amazing.

[Chloe Mel]

It was Olivier rousting for Belma.

[Joe Menadi]

Yeah, it was fabulous. It was really great. And to be honest, Tyla can wear anything, but she really. This was so perfectly on theme. And trust me, you could not tell that from a sketch. Just saying.

[Miles Pope]

Also, great story for Tyla. She's like, I've never walked the matte carpet. I was carried up. It was scary.

[Joe Menadi]

But, yeah, I mean, thank you all so much for joining us. I could talk forever about this topic because I think it's endlessly fascinating. So thank you so much, Edie and Miles, for joining us.

[Edie Kiernan Bunzel]

Thank you so much. Thank you for having us. Thank you, everyone, for coming.

[Miles Pope]

Thank you.

[Chloe Mel]

And be sure to follow along with Vogue at the Met Gala on Monday on Instagram and on the Vogue app. The social team will be there filming and there will be a special episode of the podcast coming straight from the war room. So tune in. Thank you. The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma and Joanna Solotarov. It's engineered by Jake Loomis and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Stephanie Karaoke is our executive producer and Chris Bannon is Conde Nick, head of Global Audio.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

The other day I, like, went on a real ebay spree. There's this huge push for, like, 80s opulence and 80s sort of glamour, and we're going to see that returning. And so I was already kind of tapped into that just from my gorgeous ebay watch list. And I found a really beautiful Chloe blazer from the 80s and a really great Miu Miu kilt, these great Dior boots. And I'm combining them all together. Sometimes trend forecasting doesn't require something that's gonna be, like, produced in the future. Sometimes you can, like, tap into the past and tap into the archive as well. That's what makes ebay a fun place to actually discover things, because you're not going in with something so specific in mind, but you have an idea of what you're interested in or what you're excited about or, you know, just truly trend forecasting. And so one thing that I would say people should be watching out for is, like, very opulent 80s style.

[Miles Pope]

From PRX.