The 2021 Met Gala, themed "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," celebrated modern American fashion and marked the event's return after its cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The dress code was "American Independence." The gala took place in September rather than May and was a more intimate affair, with only about a third of the usual guest list invited. The theme was chosen to honor the American Fashion Institute's role in the growth of the Costume Institute over the past seventy-five years. Approximately 100 ensembles for men and women designed by a diverse range of designers from the 1940s to the present were featured. The ensembles were organized into twelve sections that explored defining emotional qualities: Nostalgia, Belonging, Delight, Joy, Wonder, Affinity, Confidence, Strength, Desire, Assurance, Comfort, and Consciousness.