It’s the first Monday in May. You are watching TV at home, eagerly waiting to see which celebrities will attend and if their fashion follows the theme.
If you haven’t already guessed, we refer to one of today’s most anticipated fashion events, The Met Gala.
The ‘Super Bowl of fashion’ is hosted every first Monday in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The British Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, oversees the event and creates an invitation list of the world’s most renowned individuals, including musicians, actors/actresses, fashion models, and athletes.
Despite all the glitz and glamour, many don’t know that the event originally started as a fundraiser.
How did the Met Gala start?
The Met Gala was officially launched in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert. It started as a midnight dinner which cost $50 per ticket. According to Time Magazine, it billed itself as ‘The Party of the Year’ at the Waldorf Astoria, with guests turning up in formal attire. The goal was to raise money to cover the expenses of the Costume Institute and to celebrate the launching of its annual display.
But how did a fundraiser transform into a fashion runway?
The Gala took a turn in the 1970s when Diana Vreeland, Vogue editor-in-chief, introduced themes and big names such as former First Lady Jackie Kennedy started to attend. In fact, one of the most notable themes was the ‘Vreeland era.’
In 1995, Anna Wintour took over. Alongside Vogue‘s editor-in-chief is British Museum curator, Andrew Bolton, also the head curator of Wintour’s Costume Centre at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Over time, the event became more exclusive, with celebrities dominating the invite list. According to Anna Wintour’s biographer, Amy Odell,
“The party is not only a celebration of the Costume Institute but also a celebration of Wintour’s dominance of the industry.”
Amy Odell, 2022 Time Magazine
Since this change, celebrities have played a big role in the event’s success due to their varied interpretations of the theme.
For instance, we have witnessed iconic looks such as ‘the revenge dress’ worn by the Princess of Wales, Diana, and Lady Gaga’s four outfit reveals in 2019. Blake Lively is another celebrity with a unique ability to produce elevated looks that match the carpet.
The 2024 Met Gala
The theme for 2024 was ‘The Garden of Time,’ with the exhibition showcasing ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.’ The Met Gala dress code was inspired by James Graham Ballard’s 1962 short story of the same name.
The theme is a reflection of timelessness, as well as the adaptive nature of both human history and nature.
This year, celebrities such as Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, Bad Bunny, Gigi Hadid, Sabrina Carpenter, and Zendaya were spotted ascending the steps of the Met.
Top 5 Best Dressed
Now that the event is over, critics have ranked the best-dressed attendees based on the theme.
Here are some of the five best looks:
5. Gigi Hadid
The American fashion model Gigi Hadid never misses with her style. She has worn countless memorable looks over the years. For the 2018 ‘Heavenly Bodies’ theme, she even rocked a custom Versace dress inspired by stained-glass windows.
This year, she wore a Thom Browne off-the-shoulder corset with black tipping and 3D yellow roses. During an interview, she shared that there are “2,800,000 million beads just on the dress alone.” She added that “it took 20 people 5,000 hours” to bead the dress, applauding the creative journey.
4. Kendall Jenner
The American model wore a 90s Givenchy archival dress. Many social media users admired the quality of the look but felt that she was not on theme.
However, others defended Jenner because her outfit was an archival and had never been worn.
Regardless of how on-theme her look was, it quickly emerged as a public favorite.
3. Tyla
The South African singer Tyla attended her first Met Gala wearing a Balmain sculpted gown. The body-sculpted dress was inspired by an hourglass sand timer. Although movement was difficult, Tyla’s breathtaking hourglass figure and glittery shoulders gained the hearts of the public and established her as one of the best looks at the 2024 Met Gala.
Later at the event, Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing posted a video on social media in which he is shown cutting Tyla’s body-sculpted dress into a mini dress. This made it easier for Tyla to walk around.
2. Lana Del Rey
American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey shocked fans by wearing a custom Alexander McQueen design.
Del Rey caught everyone’s attention with her “dreamy hair” and branched headpiece, which was an “homage to the house’s Fall/Winter 2006 “Widows of Culloden.”
This year marked the singer’s third time attending the Met Gala. She previously attended in 2012 (theme: Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations) and 2018 (Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination).
1. Zendaya
Zendaya knows how to deliver themes, as shown by her recent Challengers press tour.
It has been five years since the American actress and singer last attended a Met Gala, but she made an memorable comeback by wearing two designs. For her first look, she donned a beautiful royal blue and emerald green Maison Margiela Artisanal creation from John Galliano. A 1999 Dior dress inspired this.
As the evening came to an end, Zendaya reappeared at the bottom of the steps wearing a black gown. This was a 1996 piece from John Galliano’s Givenchy era. Harpers Bazaar wrote: “She topped it off with a bouquet-themed fascinator wrapped up in black tulle, as designed by Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen back in 2006.”
I couldn’t help but gasp when she revealed a second look, and many felt the same.
Who was your favorite look at the 2024 Met Gala? And which year had the most iconic looks?
To look at the Met Gala themes over the years, I recommended checking out Women’s Wear Daily timeline article on the event.
