This Is Why Kanye West Won't Be At The Met Gala

According to a source speaking to People, Kanye West is avoiding the Met Gala this year to save himself the stress of a red carpet event. Accordingly, his absence isn't meant to be a slight to the Met Gala specifically — rather he wants to avoid the immense public scrutiny that comes with a high-profile appearance like this.

“It had nothing to do with the Met Gala,” the source informed People. “It was more about the stress and pressure of a big red carpet. He just wasn’t quite there yet."

We get it. You only really care whether or not Beyoncé and her twins will glide across the red carpet at tonight's Met Gala. But trust us: A Met Gala without the full Kimye experience is quite the bummer.

For the first time since 2013, Kanye West is missing out on this year's event, People reports. Kim Kardashian will still attend, reportedly wearing a look from Vivienne Westwood in keeping with this year's Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons theme.

“Kanye West will not be attending the Met Ball," a source told the magazine. “Kim will be going solo. He’s still very much enjoying his time off from public events.

“He’ll be staying back in L.A. with their kids,” the source continued. “Everything is great with him and Kim and he’s supportive of her going solo.”

West has been keeping a relatively low public profile since being hospitalized last November. Though Kardashian has had her own self-imposed retreat from the media following her Paris robbery last October, her attendance at the Met Gala was essentially set in stone the moment she began filming scenes for the upcoming Ocean's Eight, which involves a staged heist at the annual celebration. Her sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner will also make cameos in the film, suggesting that they will also be on the red carpet tonight.

West's no-show means we'll never know how he might have interpreted Kawakubo's envelope-pushing designs, or how he possibly could have followed up last year's silver contact lenses and shredded jeans.

We'll always have these memories, though...