As celebrities swept up the Met Gala’s red carpet in New York in towering looks and high drama last night, an Irish woman was quietly reshaping the evening from behind the scenes, helping make the event accessible for the first time.
Sinéad Burke, chief executive and founder of the strategic accessibility consultancy Tilting the Lens, attended the invitation-only gala as an adviser to The Met’s Costume Institute.
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Burke is already a familiar figure in fashion, having appeared among five disabled people featured across a series of British Vogue covers for its May 2023 issues.
Speaking during Vogue’s red carpet livestream last night, she said: “For the past 18 months, we have been working with the Costume Institute on a number of initiatives.
Burke chose a black gown with sequin detailing by Christian Siriano.
“We have recommended remarkable disabled designers including Sugundha Gupta and Helen Cookman. We also have an extraordinary range of mannequins based on disabled bodies, from Aimee Mullins to myself.”
The red carpet itself took the form of a mossy, cream-coloured brick path beneath a canopy of Wisteria blossoms.
Burke said it was vital that the event include a step-free entrance that was every bit as visually striking and welcoming as The Met’s historic stairs.
“In thinking about the Met Gala, for so many people with disabilities the steps are a symbol of inaccessibility,” she told Vogue.
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“So tonight, for the first time, those with physical disabilities are able to have fairer access to the Met Gala.
“And what that really means is this is an explicit and radical invitation for disabled people to see themselves in fashion, to see themselves at the Met, to see themselves in the Costume Institute.
“This is one milestone of many that we need. It also reveals the lack of disabled talent that we have in the fashion industry, the need to create pipelines of talent, and the need for more accessibility overall.”
