Met Gala vs. the War in Gaza: Real-Life Hunger Games?

I knew this was coming. Same time every year. It always starts with teasers from pop culture giants- Vogue, Elle, The Times. Then the celebrities arrive. Stunning gowns, sharp suits, perfectly styled hair and makeup, all approved by Anna Wintour herself. This year’s Met Gala theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Last year, it was The Garden of Time. But while the Met takes over everyone’s feed, more and more people online are drawing sharp contrasts. Some are comparing the event to The Hunger Games, criticizing the extravagant fashion and luxury industry, as the war in Gaza grows increasingly dire.

Side-by-side images are going viral on Instagram: red carpets next to rubble. One world is dressed for the ball, the other is just trying to survive the night. And between them, a question hangs heavy: What are we really watching?

For those unfamiliar, The Hunger Games is a dystopian film series based on Suzanne Collins’s bestselling novels. It takes place in a fictional society called Panem, where 12 impoverished districts are ruled by a wealthy Capitol obsessed with fashion, spectacle, and control. Each year, the Capitol forces children from the districts to fight to the death in a televised show called The Hunger Games. This is where the Met Gala comparison comes in. Online, people aren’t literally saying the Met Gala is the Capitol, but they’re using it as a visual metaphor to highlight the stark contrast between celebrities posing in haute couture and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Not gonna lie, I had a hard time sleeping after seeing the side-by-side post TRT World shared on Instagram Tuesday night. Even though I saw it coming, it still hit me hard. One image in particular stuck with me: British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, posing with a diamond-encrusted helmet, next to a photo of a tiny young boy in Gaza, maybe 7 or 8, wearing a metal bowl as a helmet to protect himself. I felt a weird kind of guilt, especially after knowing I’d just posted a picture of a massive meal on my own story. I don’t know if it was the way the boy looked at the camera or my period messing with my emotions extra hard that night- it really doesn’t matter. It’s unfair, yet nature, that we’re born into different realities with different assumptions. Still, it reminded me how easy it is to get swept up in everyday luxury while others are fighting for survival.

So, what is the Met Gala and why is it such a big deal? According to the Met Museum, Britannica, and Teen Vogue, the Met Gala started in 1948 as a fundraiser for the museum’s Costume Institute. In 1995, Anna Wintour took over from founder Eleanor Lambert and has since turned it into the fashion event of the year. It takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and is known for having a specific theme each year, where the guests are expected to dress accordingly. Tickets reportedly cost around $75,000 each, and $350,000 for a table. But even with all the money in the world, you're not guaranteed entry: Wintour herself has to approve you.

With that kind of money involved, I couldn’t help but wonder: This has to go to charity, right? Hunger relief? Médecins Sans Frontières? Sustainable clothing initiatives? Well… kind of. According to the Associated Press, “the 2024 Met Gala raised more than $26 million, a record sum for the event. This money is directed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which is the only department within the museum that must fund itself. The funds support the Costume Institute’s operations, including exhibitions, acquisitions, conservation efforts, and educational programs.” I get that this might sound like a lot of fashion-speak for non-fashion nerds, so I asked ChatGPT to explain it like I was talking to my dad: In simpler terms, the Met Gala funds fashion exhibits, helps maintain historic clothing, and supports fashion research and education. So no, it’s not directly fighting world hunger, but yes, it's charity in the form of keeping fashion legacy alive and accessible to the public.

Even though I’m nowhere near being able to afford (or be invited to) the Met Gala, I’ll admit that imagining the 'what if' crosses my mind more often than I’d like to. Fashion has always been a big part of my life; from living room runway shows in front of my grandparents to walking the Chicago Fashion Week last year, it's been a source of joy and creativity. So what if I did get an invite? I can’t lie, saying no to Anna Wintour would be hard. However, I like to think of myself as someone bold and encouraging, someone who enjoys putting on a little show. And let’s not forget that the Met Gala can be about more than just glamour and glitter. I’m thinking of Cara Delevingne’s bulletproof-style vest in 2021, stamped with 'Peg the Patriarchy,' or Billie Eilish’s custom Oscar de la Renta gown, worn only on the condition that the brand stop selling fur. This is the kind of energy we have the opportunity to bring to the red carpet: fashion with a purpose!

The thing is, the Met Gala might not openly encourage controversy, but the red carpet has always thrived on spectacle and conversation. It’s a rare stage where fashion meets expression, while the whole world is watching live. So why aren’t more of the rich and powerful people actually walking the carpet using this platform to stand for something meaningful? Instead of questioning whether the Met Gala should exist at all, maybe the better question is this: Why aren’t more people using the spotlight to say something that truly matters? Especially now, as the war in Gaza worsens day by day..

To be fair, the Met Gala’s themes do sometimes carry deeper meaning, and I think that’s worth acknowledging. Take this year’s theme as an example, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. It’s intended as a celebration of the cultural power of Black fashion. Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s Slaves to Fashion, the theme explores how tailored clothing has been used not just to dress the body, but to reclaim space, challenge racist stereotypes, and assert dignity. So, even though the theme didn’t focus on current conflicts like the war in Gaza, it still made people all around the world think about black history and social justice, which is super important as well. This shows how fashion can be a powerful tool to say something that matters, instead of just being expensive, superficial material.

Still, after everything I’ve learned and felt while writing this essay, I keep coming back to those split-screen images: the glittering red carpet beside the rubble. The Met Gala is dazzling- no question. But when luxury and tragedy collide in the same scroll, it forces us to ask the hard questions: Who are we really applauding? What are we willing to look away from to stay entertained? And is this the real-life Hunger Games?

I started this essay thinking about how strange it felt to see two completely different worlds side by side. And I’ve come to realize it’s not just strange. It’s a reminder. A reminder that the gap between red carpet and real life is growing louder, not quieter. The image I saw of that young boy in Gaza doesn’t disappear just because a celebrity’s look goes viral. So if the Met Gala is where all the eyes are, then maybe it’s exactly where we should be looking. Make space for fashion that risks something. I want to see more looks like AOC’s “Tax the Rich” dress. Beauty, challenge, provoke, and reflection. In a world divided by injustice, fashion can’t afford to be silent. It should turn heads and hearts.

Remember what Katniss Everdeen said: "Sometimes, the most radical act is refusing to play the game the way they expect you to."