Met Gala 2017 - 10 fast facts that will surprise you

Think you know everything about the Met Gala? Think again! Dubbed 'the party of the year', the do technically signals the opening of the Costume Institute's annual blockbuster show, but what makes headlines, is the impressive turn up of A-listers, who ascend the steps of Metropolitan Museum of Art on the first Monday of May. 

While officially the event is to raise money for the Costume Institute, unofficially the night's festivities has been termed the 'Oscars of the East Coast', given the list of attendees and the fancy red carpet on which guests take pride in posing on. 

The ticket to the Met Gala is one of the hardest to get, and thus, it's highly coveted. There's a reason for all the hype and craze. Hence, today, we're decoding just that. Here are 10 facts about this elaborate event that we're pretty sure you didn't know...  

1. Tickets for the Met Gala 2017 cost $30,000 apiece, and tables were about $275000. The party and exhibition are sponsored, so all of the money from the ticket sales goes to the costume institute. Last year, close to 13.5m was raised. Of course, not everyone pays for a ticket. Brands often invite celebrities to sit at their table. 

2. The publicist Eleanor Lambert started the gala in 1948 as a typical philanthropic endeavour for the well-being of New York society. Anna Wintour, the Editor of American Vogue took over as chairwoman of the gala in 1999 and now oversees every detail, right down to timed entrances for the guests. 

3. Once celebrities are inside the Gala, there is a line of hosts to welcome them, as they typically air kiss and walk by. They then tour the exhibition on the way to the cocktail party. After cocktails, they are called in for dinner and then, of course, there is some form of entertainment (Last year it was The Weeknd). 

4. The theme for the Met Gala 2017 was inspired by Rei Kawakubo, founder and designer of Comme Des Garçons. Known for her like-no-other silhouettes that look like veritable works of art, celebrities were expected to be seen in some epic CDG, artsy looks on the red carpet.

5.  The red carpet arrivals begin a little bit before 7 pm, with most of the hard-hitters arriving closer to 7:30 or 8 pm. The red carpet escapade has become a giant marketing event and is live streamed on a variety of sites. 

6. Traditionally, celebs and designers are paired up for the Met Gala. Past pairs include Selena Gomez and Vera Wang, Blake Lively and Karl Lagerfeld, Cara Delevingne and Stella McCartney, and more. The pairings change from year-to-year. If celebrities are invited by a brand, it's a given that they have to sport an ensemble from the designer.

7. The seating chart is everything. “We’re very thoughtful about where we put people,” said Vogue Director of Special Projects, Sylvana Ward Durrett. “There’s a lot of networking that goes on, and you hear all these stories that come out of the Met like so-and-so is now doing a fragrance with Marc Jacobs because they met at the event." 

8. The interiors are just as intricate as the gowns. Past interiors have included zebra print chairs, superhero statues, and mirrored chandeliers. A vase made of roses for 2015's event weighed 12,500 pounds! 

9. No agents, managers or publicists are allowed at the event. Celebs for the evening are basically there to be seen, meaning they aren't doing a lot of talking. And they certainly aren't doing the interview circuit like a normal red carpet. Exclusivity is the name of the game, not camera time, so celebs arrive without their normal entourages.

10. Nobody eats! Rumour has it that there isn't any food at the reception, and the gorgeous foods that are served at the dinner mostly go untouched. Again, whether it's because everyone is too focused on fitting into their dresses or because the anticipation of the evening is too much, it's unclear. 

Who do you think slayed the most on the red carpet this year? Let us know in the comments below...