Apple News: Apple Sponsors 2016 Met Gala, Making Its Name In The Fashion World

Apple is making its move to further enter the fashion world. The tech giant is involved in the sponsorship of the 2016 Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala and Costume Institute Exhibition, one of the biggest and most prestigious fundraising event, involving high-profile fashion executives and celebrities.

Apple's involvement in the sponsorship of the fashion event coincides with this year's theme. 2016 Met Gala is titled "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology". Curated by Andrew Bolton, the exhibition will unravel the dynamics between humanity and technology in fashion. The exhibited pieces will demonstrate how the use of machines is changing the fashion world with more and more designers embracing technology in their work.

According to MacRumors, the exhibition will focus on the dichotomy between handmade haute couture and machine-made fashion. The show will feature pieces with contrasting effects of the handmade side and machine-made side in fashion. Traditionally, high fashion was decorated with handmade embroidery, pleating, and lacework, whereas designers need technologies to do laser cutting and thermal shaping in their work.

This year's Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 2, but The Costume Institute already hosted a preview of the exhibition on Monday this week. The Verge reported that the event was attended by Apple's representatives. The tech company's chief design officer stated the importance of combining technology and craft in design. "More than ever, we believe that it is fundamentally important to personally work with materials as a means to truly understand their physical nature and to design authentic objects. Far from being mutually exclusive notions, we believe that technology and craft go hand in hand, much like beauty and utility, and become all the more powerful in combination," he said.

Apple's interest in the fashion world is believed to be concurrent with the launch of the brand's first wearable device, the Apple Watch. The company's involvement in funding a fashion event considered as one of its maneuvers to make a name in the fashion world, especially with technology as a theme. In addition to sponsoring the event, Apple will also be in charge of the exhibition's music with its Apple Music, according to Mashable.

The 2016 Met Gala will showcase high-profile fashion designers including Iris van Herpen, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, and Christian Dior. Fashion big names like Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld will also join and chair the event. Apple's Jony Ive was appointed as co-chair. The event, highlighting the dynamics of craftsmanship and technology in fashion, will be sponsored by Apple as the tech giant moves forward to enter the fashion world after the launch of Apple Watch.