The Met Gala is one of the most popular fashion events that happens yearly. This social event held by Vogue to support the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City brings together some of the most famous celebrities to walk across the red carpet dressed in creative, over-the-top outfits according to a theme. This year’s Met Gala was held on May 6th and the theme was “The Garden of Time.” Those who were invited to the event are determined by viewers if they deserve to go down in the history of fashion.
Celebrities are predominantly judged on how they interpret the theme. The dress code “The Garden of Time” is connected to the new exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The theme of the evening is based on a short story written by J.G. Ballard called “The Garden of Time” mainly taking place in a villa surrounded by a magnificent garden filled with crystal flowers. The dress code is expected to reflect the setting of the story and consist of delicate and elegant clothing embellished with a touch of nature.
Below is my personal list of 5 celebrities who were best dressed considering their interpretation of the theme, originality, creativeness, and the overall look at the 2024 Met Gala:
- Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande not only showed up to the Met Gala, but performed some of her most popular songs wearing an elegant custom Loewe outfit, honoring the “Garden of Time” theme. She wore a bustier dress in mother-of-pearl with a multilayered silk chiffon skirt, designed to imitate the shimmer of nacre, creating an ethereal look. Although the dress was very simple, the aesthetic of her outfit undoubtedly suits the theme of the evening and earns a spot on this list.
- Gigi Hadid
The Thom Browne dress worn by Gigi Hadid that was covered in 2.8 million micro bugle beads, each hand embroidered by 20 people, was one of the best looks worn that evening. The dramatic white gown with hand-beaded thorns, vines, and yellow roses reflect the “Garden of Time” theme. 70 people were involved in the designing and creation of the dress and the amount of effort required was glamorously represented by the insane amount of detail on every inch of the dress.
- Emma Chamberlain
Back as a presenter at the Met Gala, Emma Chamberlain was able to reach the level of her phenomenal Met Gala outfits from the past 3 years. She states, “The theme is the Garden of Time, which is [the title] of a short story. This is sort of a fantasy, enchanted-like theme. It’s fun to do a dark twist on it; the underbelly of nature.” She demonstrated this through her Jean Paul Gaultier corseted dress made with lace inlays and transparent supports, which uniquely represents the “Garden of Time” theme without the generic floral, soft look. Emma Chamberlain is an iconic celebrity at the Met Gala and has attended many of these events, never leaving anyone disappointed with her sophisticated outfits.
- Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey returned to the Met Gala after her last appearance in 2018, wearing a veiled Alexander McQueen gown. The maker of the dress, Sean McGirr, took inspiration for the dress from Alberto Giacometti, a Swiss sculptor. The corseted dress was made of silk and tulle with vines that climbed from her skirt to above her head. McGirr said, “I guess it was the idea of mother nature, but slightly more sinister aspects,” which is shown by the spiked branches on the dress, referencing “Sleeping Beauty” by the Grimm Brothers. Lana Del Rey’s dark interpretation of the theme was one of the best at the Met Gala.
- Zendaya
Zendaya started the Met Gala off beautifully as being one of the first to walk the red carpet in a Maison Margiela corset dress, creating the scene of a royal blue, black, and emerald green forest. While many followed the similar elegant and light similar aesthetic, no one matched Zendaya’s look. Her uniquely detailed dress was covered in faux grapes, a bird on her head, and a long veil. Not only did her dress stand out, but her dramatic makeup look of wine-red lips and smudged maroon eyeshadow completed the outfit in the best way. To top off the evening, Zendaya showed up in another breathtaking outfit. The floral, black Givenchy gown by John Galliano from 1996 was perfect for the theme. The ginormous skirt was about the length of the Met Gala stairs, and as if that wasn’t glamorous enough, she wore a bouquet wrapped in black tulle on her head, designed for Alexander McQueen in 2006 by Philip Treacy. Both artistic outfits were my personal favorites from the entire evening.