On Monday, May 4, in the evening, celebrities and designers will flock to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to display their sense of style at one of the most iconic – and costly – fashion events: the Met Gala. So, who pays for what? Let’s break it down in numbers.
Between the after-parties, ultra-exclusive tables, and the walk on the red carpet, this evening has become a true avant-garde spectacle. And every year, one question returns: how much do the Hailey Biebers and Kylie Jenners of the world actually fork out to attend? Not surprisingly, unless they receive a fully sponsored invitation, the bill is staggering – with an increase of about 19,000 francs a year.
How much does a ticket for the Met Gala cost? It wasn’t always so expensive to attend. The event began around 1948, and for several decades, ticket prices were around 800 francs – a meager sum compared to current rates.
Everything changed in 1995 when Anna Wintour, then Editor-in-Chief of Vogue and now the true architect of the event, transformed this modest charity gala for New York’s high society into a grand celebration of fashion and celebrities. Since then, ticket prices – available only by invitation – have soared.
In 2018, the New York Times revealed that a ticket cost around 25,000 francs per person, while a table reached 220,000 francs. In 2023, ticket prices had already risen to about 40,000 francs. Today, in 2026, a new threshold is crossed: according to the BBC, an individual ticket would now cost 80,000 francs, while tables would start at around 275,000 francs. An astronomical amount, reflecting the event’s growing cultural aura – and, of course, American inflation.
The proceeds from tickets, combined with sponsor donations, help finance the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which raised a record 24 million francs last year. But since celebrities are the real stars of the evening, do they actually pay out of pocket?
Must celebrities pay to attend the Met Gala? Stars like Zendaya or Rihanna are among the most anticipated guests of the Met Gala. Each year, their looks generate thousands of searches on Google and social media. So why should they pay? In reality, very often, they don’t. Prominent celebrities generally attend as guests of major fashion houses, dressed in custom creations by Chanel, Dior, or Louis Vuitton. In these cases, the ticket and outfit costs are covered by the brand. However, this is not always the case.
With fortunes estimated in the hundreds of millions, these celebrities can also finance their own presence without much concern for a six-figure ticket.
Historically, it’s the designers or sponsors who buy the tables and select the guests who will accompany them. But each name must be approved by Anna Wintour, and Vogue entirely controls the seating plan. In the documentary “First Monday in May” (2016) about the Met Gala 2016, Sylvana Ward Durrett, former director of special projects at Vogue, even mentioned a specific rule when arranging the seating of guests: “Never seat spouses side by side.” “The purpose of these events is to meet new people and show interest in what others do. What’s the point of coming here to spend the evening with your husband?”
It’s also for this reason that we often see co-stars, families, or friends spread out at different tables, mingling with designers, actors, musicians, models, and now influencers.
Who pays for the celebrities’ outfits? Even if these creations are almost never “purchased” in the traditional sense, their design and production generally cost between 54,000 and 400,000 francs. And some looks reach even higher. In 2015, the spectacular yellow robe by Guo Pei worn by Rihanna – nicknamed “the omelette dress” online – was said to cost nearly 3 million francs to produce.
In most cases, it’s the fashion houses that absorb these costs, considering that the media visibility and the opportunity to enter the pantheon of the best Met Gala looks are well worth the investment. Some celebrities also fund their own hair and makeup team, while others – under contract with beauty brands – also benefit from these services for free.
Author: ELLE Editorial
This article was translated into French and adapted for Switzerland after originally being published on elle.com.au. Find all the other articles from this edition on the official website.
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