For those of you unaware, the Met Gala's theme this year was, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." Now I'd like to make some things clear - before reading into the event and more specifically, the theme, I genuinely thought the Catholic church was being made fun of. I was slightly offended but more so intrigued. So I searched, read, and joined some conversations about it.
I'd like to make something else clear - not every "costume" is respectful, beautiful, and modest. Some are without a doubt, sacrilegious. However, this is the fashion industry we are dealing with. I don't expect them to display Catholic art and garments and traditions as elegantly and effortlessly as the Catholic church holds them.
With that being said, I chose to celebrate this year's Met Gala theme.
Why? Because for starters, the Catholic church approved and the Vatican was consulted about what would be displayed. So that in itself is enough for me to respect the theme and some of the costumes/outfits on display. Secondly though, true beauty in all forms, but particularly in art, is important to the Catholic church. Basilicas are adorned with handcrafted art, stained glass windows, etc. It's a way to show reverence and appreciation for the house of God. So for me, seeing historical art and traditional garments from the Catholic church displayed in high fashion is inspiring and encouraging.
See also: No, White People, You Don't Get To Claim 'Cultural Appropriation' For The Met Gala's Latest Theme
Lastly, the Catholic church is rarely mentioned in the media unless in a completely negative sense. So for me, this is a positive light and a uniquely beautiful way to tie faith and tradition into something that's highly elevated in our world today. While there are some questionable costumes, I personally believe this is a positive thing and it should be celebrated to some extent and discussed to full extent. You can't tell me seeing Zendaya in an outfit similar to St. Joan of Arc isn't cool.
