Best Dressed at the Meta Gala

The 2024 Met Gala is supporting the Costume Institute’s forthcoming Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion exhibit, a curation that brings some of the museum’s most fragile pieces to the public eye for the first time. But what does the accompanying dress code, “The Garden of Time,” really mean? Its name is borrowed from a short story by J.G. Ballard, in which a couple lives on a garden that “grows time.” As danger nears their home, they can pluck flowers to send the threat back in time – delaying their destruction. However, eventually they will run out of flowers, unable to grow new ones. As they pluck the final rose, they accept their inevitable decay.

Who will explore the theme in the most nuanced ways? Who will fall short? We round up our favourite looks of the evening…

Wearing custom Jean Paul Gaultier, Met Gala royalty Emma Chamberlain understood the dress code. Emerging in a dystopian forest fairy gown, with vines growing around her arms, she set the scene for an exciting red carpet ahead.

The Challenger’s star wore not one, but two Galliano-designed pieces for the big event. The first, a peacock-coloured gown, was made custom by Maison Margiela. And the second, a never-before-worn piece from Givenchy’s archive, from the SS96 collection — both styled by Law Roach, of course.

In a cross between soft and strong, Lee wears a shield made of flower appliques, courtesy of Loewe. She showed up with Taylor Russel, who, also in Loewe, wears a top made out of wood.

Mindy Kaling looked like a blossoming flower in this sculptural organza Gaurav Gupta gown. Elegant yet eye-catching, everything about this look was intentional – from the way the train framed her face to how it draped down the carpet. Crystal embellishments added a touch of shine to the gown, brought out further by her minimalistic yet sparkling rings.

Looking like the hourglass she carries, Tyla is a dream in this sandy Balmain piece, styled by Katie Qian with jewellery by John Hardy. “I’m wearing sand, basically! The sands of time,” she says on the red carpet. For her first ever Met Gala, she’s for sure showing the veterans up.

“I’m literally wearing a sculpture.” So true, Gigi. “I’m honoured to be in this, shoutout to the Thom Browne team.”

Dressed in a decaying flower grown, Dove Cameron’s Diesel look understood the theme. Envisioning the star sitting in a forest left to the will of the weather, the designer interpreted “ Garden in Time” perfectly.

Alex Sharp looked extra sharp in this Balmain look. The 3 Body Problem star put an elevated, playful spin on classic suiting, and we were wowed.

Kendall Jenner was the first human to ever wear this archive Givenchy piece, from 1999. Whilst making a list of the designers she dreamed of wearing for the big night, she got to dive deep into Alexander McQueen’s archive, and happened to find such a precious gem. “It’s been sleeping for the last 25 years,” Jenner said during the transmission. “It’s literally a ‘sleeping beauty’. It’s such a special moment. I feel extremely honoured that they’re allowing me to wear it.”

The Wicked duo arrived together and in style last evening. Ariana joined Loewe’s roster, sporting a custom-made dress featuring a breathtaking mother-of-pearl corset. As for Cynthia, the star wore Thom Browne’s take on a girly tuxedo, perfectly balancing the tailored shapes with rose petal applications and a sea of sequins.

Bad Bunny went theatrical and regal for 2024’s Met Gala, in custom Maison Margiela. Whilst the open-stitch suit and XL bonnet might catch your attention at first, it’s the custom Tabi’s as the cherry on top that got us dreaming!

It’s Lana’s world, and we’re just living in it. Perhaps one of the most literal interpretations of the night’s theme, the singer was fully planted in the Met’s garden yesterday, covered in wooden sticks in a custom Alexander McQueen number. The piece was inspired by an archival item from the House of McQueen dating back to 2006.

Nicole Kidman did the theme justice with her 1950’s Balenciaga replica. Recognisable to many from the Richard Avedon image for Harper’s Bazaar’s April 1951 issue, this Cristobal Balenciaga couture gown was reawakened by Kidman, remade for her for the event.

Cardi B shut down the runway with her massive tulle gown by Windowsen. Rounding out the layers and layers of volume with emerald and diamond jewellery, she commanded attention and sparkled bright.

Lil Nas X is no stranger to the Met Gala, and this year’s look was particularly monumental. Dressed in an oversized white suit with silver panelling by Luar, he once again proved he’s Met royalty.