The first Met Gala in the history (1948) with pics

The Met Gala or Met Ball, formally called the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in Manhattan.

The Met Gala is popularly regarded as the world's most prestigious and glamorous fashion event and social gathering and is known as "fashion's biggest night"; an invitation is highly sought after. Personalities who are perceived to be culturally relevant to contemporary society amongst various professional spheres, including fashion, film, television, music, theater, business, sports, social media, and politics, are invited to attend the Met Gala, organized by the fashion magazine Vogue.

Eleanor Lambert

Established by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the first Costume Institute Gala, or Met Gala, took place in 1948. As it is now, the high society event was a fundraiser for the then-newly founded Costume Institute, marking the opening of its annual exhibit.

The first gala comprised a dinner, and tickets were 50 dollars each. Over the first few decades of its existence, the Gala was simply one of many annual benefits held for New York charitable institutions. Accordingly, the attendees of the early Galas were almost entirely members of New York high society or the city's fashion industry. From 1948 to 1971, the event was held at various Manhattan venues, including the Waldorf Astoria, Central Park, and the Rainbow Room.

The entry price for one ticket has risen to $75,000 in 2024, an increase from $50,000 in 2023, to attend the annual gala in the world's principal financial center, New York City.