In this edition of the Glossy+ Research Briefing, we look back at the history of influencers at the Met Gala and examine why they may not be the best fit for exclusive events.
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Collaborations with influencers at ultra-exclusive events may not be the best fit
In the news: As the most exclusive fashion event of the year, the Met Gala’s guest list has always caused a stir. Usually seats are reserved for A-list celebrities, Hollywood elite, business moguls and fashion icons. But recent years saw a new class of celebrity entered the fold — internet influencers.
Over the past few years, the Met Gala slowly ramped up the amount of influencers included on the guest list. The first influencer invited to the Met Gala was Italian blogger Chiara Ferragni in 2015. Three years later, internet personality Liza Koshy was invited to host red carpet interviews for Vogue’s YouTube channel and, in 2019, beauty YouTuber James Charles and YouTube comedian Lilly Singh attended the gala.
2021 and 2022 saw the largest influx of internet personalities in attendance with beauty gurus NikkieTutorials and Jackie Aina, Try Guys member Eugene Lee Yang, social media personality Emma Chamberlain and TikTokers Addison Rae, Dixie D’Amelio and Avani Gregg in attendance. However, after facing backlash from the public and even celebrities that felt “put off” by the number of influencers invited to attend, Anna Wintour and the committee cut back on how many internet stars attended, only inviting Emma Chamberlain to attend last year.
Although influencers can modernize and revitalize viewership for brands at large events, not all events are ready for this new wave. The Met Gala is known for being the most exclusive social event of the year. When influencers and their massive social media followings enter the space, the curtain of exclusivity is dropped.
Research finding: Glossy’s 2024 Influencer Index found that industry cross-collaborations have been ramping up for the beauty and fashion influencers included in our index. Although beauty and fashion brands have the highest percentage of collaborations with influencers within the same industry, Glossy+ Research also observed sponsorships across other industries like entertainment and technology.
With influencers entering more categories outside of their traditional wheelhouses, Glossy expects to see more influencers in attendance at less exclusive events like Coachella or the Super Bowl, which the general public can purchase tickets to attend. However, influencer collaborations at exclusive events like the Met Gala or the Grammys, which only a select number of invited industry members attend, don’t feel as natural to audiences.
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