In her video posted to YouTube.com Abby Cox says, “I believe in the importance of conserving our clothing because our clothing is what connects us to the past. It is one of the few things that we can all relate to as people.”
Before this year’s Met Gala, Marilyn Monroe’s dress was estimated to be worth $10,000,000,000. Ripley’s bought the dress at auction several years ago for $5,000,000,000. Unfortunately, the fashion department is not funded at many museums including the Met. This is the reason for the annual gala to even exist.
Women’s Work v. Fine Art
Ripley’s choice to allow Kim Kardashian to wear Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress was a violation of Museum Guidelines for proper care of both American and international archival pieces. Committees decided these written guidelines in the 1980s.
Ripley’s, however, is not a real museum. A real museum would likely have rarely even had the dress out for display. They would at the very least display them as little as possible.
These guidelines strictly forbid wearing archival material because wearing fabric actively destroys what is already naturally deteriorating. Which, is surprising on theme for the 2022 Met Gala. This year’s attendees were ridiculed on social media for seemingly being unable to follow the theme, but the wealthy aristocracy of the real-life Gilded Age were also known to have worn garments of historical significance because they felt entitled to do so.
Was the Met complacent?
There WAS a replica dress. Since the “gilded” in the “Gilded Glamour” of 2022’s Met Gala theme is cheap, the subtext is surprisingly in line. Fashion is history, but history is a distant second to fame and fortune.
What are your thoughts on the Kim Kardashian Met Gala 2022 fiasco?
Too much pride and vanity on display (shallowness is out of date).
And wow, what a lack of imagination in playing “dress up.”
Missed opportunities.