Despite conspicuous absences and some confusing interpretations of the theme, there were plenty of memorable moments at the 2022 Met Gala.
The Met Gala’s theme may have been “gilded glamour” but Black history, Black design and Black love all made their appearances on the steps of the Met Museum on Monday night. And though we’ve recapped most of the Black excellence that appeared on the gala’s red, white and blue carpet with their interpretations of “America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” there are a few stories you may have missed.
For starters, one of the biggest stories of the night was the surprise proposal to Laurie Cumbo, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and founder of Brooklyn’s Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts. Amid the hubbub of the arrivals, her partner, former New York State Assembly candidate Bobby Digi Olisa, dropped to one knee to present his love a solitaire in a very recognizable blue box.
I didn’t know it was going to happen tonight,” Cumbo gushed to Entertainment Tonight, sharing that she’d once been a teenage intern at the museum. “We’ve been talking about it. We’ve been through so much and this is such an honor and this is such a blessing.”
It was indeed a blessed moment, but not the first Met Gala proposal we’ve seen. In 2018, rapper 2 Chainz proposed to his longtime love, Kesha Ward. (It’s also worth noting a certain orange-hued mogul-turned-president proposed to his Slovenian model girlfriend at the 2004 Met Gala.)
Cumbo’s boss, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, was also on the Met’s carpet alongside girlfriend Tracey Collins. While reviews remain mixed on the moves of the recently elected mayor, Adams conveyed a clear message with his upcycled tailcoat (his own), which was customized by New York City-based Nigerian artist Láolú Senbanjo. Along with New York-inspired designs on the lapels and cuffs, the coat included a panel emblazoned with the phrase “End Gun Violence” on the back.