• The 2020 Met Gala theme is called “About Time: Fashion and Duration.”
  • According to The New York Times, next year’s event was “inspired in part by the novels of Virginia Woolf and the theories of the early-20th-century French philosopher Henri Bergson.”
  • The show will take place on May 7, 2020, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
  • On social media, people seem largely excited about the theme, though some called it “boring.”
  • Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Though the Met Gala may be six months away, the fashion industry is already preparing for next year’s event.

On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that the theme of the 2020 fundraiser will be called “About Time: Fashion and Duration.” The theme focuses on women’s fashion, and was “inspired in part by the novels of Virginia Woolf and the theories of the early-20th-century French philosopher Henri Bergson,” according to the publication.

Following tradition, the event’s theme mirrors that of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit at the museum. Here’s what to expect at this year’s event.

What is the 2020 Met Gala theme?

According to The New York Times, this year’s gala will attempt to “trace a traditional chronological timeline between 1870 and now, represented by a ‘spine’ of clothes all in black.” It also aims to “show how garments of the past and present influence one another.”

The concepts were largely inspired by Woolf's "Orlando," which takes place over centuries, and the work of Bergson, who believed time is "a constantly mutating stream rather than a series of discrete moments."

"Fashion is indelibly connected to time," Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute's curator, told The New York Times. "It not only reflects and represents the spirit of the times, but it also changes and develops with the times."

The show also focuses on women, as this year's exhibit will be comprised of "160 pieces of women's fashion from the last 150 years, and beyond," according to the publication.

When and where will the event take place?

As it has every year since 1948, the Met Gala will be held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Next year's event will be held on May 7, 2020.

This year's gala will have 5 famous co-chairs

Of course, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour will work as a co-chair for the event. In addition, so will Nicolas Ghesquière of Louis Vuitton, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep, and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

emma stone

Foto: Emma Stone attends the 2019 Met Gala in New York City.sourceSean Zanni/Getty Images

People can't seem to agree on next year's theme

On Twitter, many people seemed excited after learning of the "About Time: Fashion and Duration" theme. Some even said it's the best Met Gala theme to date.

Others, however, seemed less impressed and called next year's theme "boring."

Some social-media users also voiced concerns over next year's event. The New Yorker writer Rachel Syme, for example, questioned if the Met Gala has plans to invite women over the age of 75.

https://twitter.com/rachsyme/status/1192473829391716352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Another Twitter user said the theme seems Eurocentric and to cater solely to white people, and asked why the gala isn't doing "something different for once."

While the 2020 Met Gala theme is certainly dividing opinions, only time will tell how attendees interpret it.

Representatives for the Metropolitan Museum of Art did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.