Met Gala 2025 takes place on the first Monday in May in New York City, bringing together celebrities, designers, and makeup artists to celebrate fashion and raise funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute; however, beneath the surface of glamorous outfits hides the intensive preparation and high stakes involved.

The Met Gala, fashion's most anticipated annual event, is a spectacle of creativity and fundraising for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This year's theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," is expected to inspire looks filled with "reverence and rebellion," according to celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath. McGrath, who has worked with numerous stars including Naomi Campbell and Doja Cat, emphasizes that the Met Gala is about storytelling through fashion and beauty.

Behind the scenes, the preparations are intense. Facialists flock to New York to provide specialized treatments in exclusive "facial suites," hoping to boost their brands through celebrity endorsements. Joanna Czech, who has been working around the Met Gala for 22 years, estimates that she will provide facials to about 5 percent of seated guests. However, the return on investment for these sponsorships, which can include expensive hotel stays and low five-figure investments, can be hard to track.

Adding to the pressure, celebrities often undergo extreme measures to fit into their outfits. "They spend all day getting into their glad rags, but some celebs are desperate to get naked as soon as they're inside the event" reports Josie O'Brien. From harsh diets to designers sewing stars into their gowns, the quest for the perfect Met Gala look is a demanding process. Looking ahead, the Met Gala remains a pivotal event in fashion, driving trends and sparking conversations worldwide, with beauty trends focusing on storytelling and bold interpretations of the annual theme.