This past month, we’ve witnessed coronavirus impact the fashion world on a global scale. With entire fashion weeks being cancelled in Shanghai and Beijing, Armani swapped the FROW for a virtual show, and both Gucci and Prada scrapped their up-coming Cruise presentations slated to take place in May.
In New York, however, the sentiment seems to be business as usual, with the announcement that the 2020 Met Gala – arguably the biggest fashion night of the year – will go on despite the pandemic.
The night, hosted by US Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, is set to take place, as usual, on the first Monday of May, despite people’s fear and anxiety over the disease. As of March 13, 298 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with Covid-19.
“We are proceeding as planned and look forward to a wonderful evening,” Nancy Chilton, the Met Costume Institute’s chief external relations officer told the Cut. “We will, of course, continue to keep a close eye on the situation.”
The Met, however, has shut its doors until April 3, and the museum is due to undertake a (probably much-needed) preventative cleaning.
“The Met’s priority is to protect and support our visitors, staff, and volunteers,” reads a statement posted on the museum’s Instagram account. “While we don’t have any confirmed cases connected to the museum, we believe that we must do all that we can to ensure a safe… environment for our community.”
Meanwhile, as Coachella, the night-club Berghain and literally the entire country of Italy has been shut down, it’s still up in the air whether the gala’s status will change.
Revisit our gallery from the 2019 Met Ball above.
UPDATED on March 17: The Met Ball has now been postponed indefinitely. Following the announcemt that gatherings of over 50 people should be cancelled for the next eight weeks, a Met spokesperson has said that, “in deference to this guidance, all programs and events through May 15 will be canceled or postponed.” The Met Gala was scheduled to take place on May 4.