Every year, the first Monday of May marks fashion’s biggest event: the Met Gala. “The Garden of Time” dress code saw florals, crystal embellishments and a disappointing amount of black tuxedos on Monday.
The Met Gala is a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City that marks the beginning of that year’s exhibition, raising millions of dollars.
This year’s exhibition theme is titled “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” putting a spotlight on timeless garments and artifacts. The exhibit features roughly 250 pieces that have made rare appearances and can’t be worn ever again.
“The Garden of Time” dress code is based on J.G. Ballard’s short story about the natural passage of time, and ultimately, how human life is inevitably fragile.
Of the hundreds of outfits that graced the green and white carpet filled with foliage and flowers, this year had a mix of magnificent and deplorable fashion moments.
The event’s co-chairs, a committee of celebrities that ensure the night is a success, include Anna Wintour, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Lopez, Jonathan Anderson, Shou Chew — the TikTok CEO — and Zendaya. Anna Wintour curates a list of designers, who in turn invite celebrities to model their clothing at the event.
First, the highlights. Bad Bunny was dressed by Maison Margiela in a deconstructed navy blue suit with red and white stitching and red lines going down the pants. A blue headpiece, sunglasses, leather gloves, a fabric bouquet and horsehair Tabi boots complemented the look. The dark interpretation of the theme mixed with bold outfit choices checks out for a stamp of approval.
At the beginning of the carpet, Zendaya flaunted a Maison Margiela couture dress that was a re-interpretation of a Dior spring/summer 1999 dress. The blue and green colors along with the grapevine adornments perfectly fit the dress code.
Toward the end of the carpet, Zendaya introduced a new costume to the gala. The black ruffled corset dress with a long train was vintage Givenchy, and a softer face and bouquet of roses as a headpiece solidified her as a prominent figure of the night.
Other notable looks included Lana Del Rey in a nude sheer tulle Alexander McQueen gown with hawthorn branches that reference an archival fall/winter 2006 design; Colman Domingo in a oversized white caped blazer and black trousers created by Willy Chavarria while holding white calla lilies in tribute to the late André Leon Talley and Chadwick Boseman; Wisdom Kaye in a custom tattered red “The Burnt Red Rose” Robert Wun ensemble; and Tyla in a Balmain gown sculpted entirely of sand that accentuated her body exquisitely.
Many stars took a “time”-focused approach that caught me off-guard at first sight. Yet as more guests walked up the steps of the Met, my appreciation for their attire increased. Ben Simmons in Thom Browne held a briefcase with a clock on it, Isabelle Huppert, dressed by Balenciaga, recreated a Callot Soeurs 12-foot-long white mermaid bride dress and Kim Kardashian wore a cozy Maison Margiela gray cardigan top while sporting a silver floral chain-mail dress that hugged her waist.
There were many, though, who strayed from the theme unsuccessfully. Barry Keoghan donned a brown suede Burberry suit that screams Willy Wonka, Michelle Yeoh wore a crinkled Balenciaga aluminum foil gown and Michael Shannon boasted a black and white Balenciaga suit, holding a $1,850 bag of chips.
This year’s Met Gala was one to remember, both for the amazing looks and for those who oddly stood out, such as Doja Cat wearing a wet white Vetements T-shirt. “The Garden of Time” will only tell if next year’s theme will have the same enthralling effect as this one.
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