Sports Illustrated cover girl Kate Upton will be gracing next week’s highly anticipated Costume Institute gala — but she’s going on her own dime.
We’re told the blond bombshell and model of the moment so wanted to be at fashion’s big night out that she plunked down $25,000 of her own money to attend this year’s gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
WATCH: KATE UPTON’S BIKINI DANCE VIDEO
The event on Monday, honoring Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli, kicks off the Met’s spring exhibition, “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations.” Sources say Upton will wear Michael Kors to the event and sit at the designer’s table.
The Met Ball is the most sought-after invitation in town, and Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour approves every name on the guest list. Seats cost $25,000 a head at the tough-to-get-into fund-raising dinner, which helps finance the Costume Institute’s annual expenses.
We’re told Upton recently went to Vogue’s 4 Times Square offices to meet Wintour, where Upton told the Vogue queen of her dream to go to the Met gala.
“She told Anna she would really like to attend,” said a source. “Then she offered to pay for her own ticket. Kate then whipped out her checkbook and paid the $25,000 for her seat. Anna took the check on the spot.”
We’re also told Upton — who is graduating from modeling swimsuits to posing for high-fashion photographers including Terry Richardson — will appear in an upcoming issue of Vogue in a makeover-themed article.
Upton has not only made a good living as a model, but the Michigan native is a great- granddaughter of Frederick Upton, who co-founded appliance-maker Whirlpool.
She’ll join some 700 celebrities, athletes, models and editors at the event, including co-host Carey Mulligan who will likely wear Prada, Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Victor Cruz and Dakota Fanning. Reps for Vogue and Upton had no comment.