Buzz or bad taste: Katy Perry in an XXL burger at the Met Gala, the costume of discord on the most high-profile red carpet

New York, May 6, 2019, in the lobby of the legendary Mark Hotel. It's around 7 p.m. when Katy Perry walks past the reception desk to climb into the back of a truck. Camouflaged in a loose jacket, she won't give away any clues about her outfit before reaching the Met Gala red carpet. Traditionally held in early spring, this opening night for the major annual exhibition at the New York museum's Costume Institute has become a sort of Oscars for fashion. This year, the theme for the 2019 edition is particularly exciting. "Camp: Notes on Fashion," the dress code adopted in October by Anna Wintour , the event's chief executive, is inspired by Susan Sontag's 1964 essay, highlighting exuberance and artifice in clothing. It's an understatement to say that the appearance of the singer, known for her wild stage costumes, will be particularly scrutinized.

Near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the screams can be heard from afar...