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Rihanna and A$AP Rocky at the 2023 Met Gala
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky at the 2023 Met Gala
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Culture > Entertainment

Here’s What To Know About The 2024 Met Gala’s ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ Theme

It’s almost that time of year again! The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City will host the 2024 Met Gala on May 6th. 

This year’s Met will honor the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The exhibit will showcase 250 rare items from the Costume Institute’s permanent collection. The items featured will span over 400 years of fashion history and include designs by Dior, Givenchy, Schiaparelli, and more.

But wait, it gets better. This year’s Met Gala hosts are Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, and Chris Hemsworth, so we’re in for a treat, besties! 

The evening’s dress code is “The Garden of Time.” While it may sound whimsical, this year’s theme carries a profound analogy. As Vogue explains, the theme Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion will celebrate fashion garments so delicately and uniquely handcrafted that they can’t be worn again; hence, it is like sleeping beauties in the meticulous archives of the Costume Institute. 

The dress code draws inspiration from the 1962 short story of the same name by J.G. Ballard. Ballard is most known for his novel The Empire of the Sun, which was later adapted into a 1987 film by Steven Spielberg.

Ballard’s The Garden of Time tells the story of Count Axel and his wife, the Countess. The two live in a utopia of leisure, art, and beauty, but there is a dystopian aspect to what seems to be a paradise and a life of luxury. Ballard explores the dichotomy of evolution, thus creating a beautiful metaphor. According to Harper’s BAZAAR, the story represents “the endless cycle of creation and destruction.”

You may still be wondering what looks you can expect from all our fave celebs who will walk the red carpet at the 2024 Met Gala. 

Fashion forecasters expect to see many floral and botanical looks grace the red carpet. Think of all the vibes from SZA’s  “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” music video.

This year’s theme celebrates the beauty of the natural world, its fragileness, and its inevitable decay. The exhibition has three main themes: Land, Sea, and Sky. It’s a poetic perspective on the circle of life through the lens of fashion. With such a powerful theme, there are many beautiful ways to interpret this vision through clothing, and the anticipation is already killing me. 

If you’re wondering where to catch all the action, Vogue will be livestreaming the 2024 Met Gala on all of its social media platforms. We’ll also update you with real-time reactions to all the red carpet madness.

May 6 can’t come quick enough! 

Rachel is a contributing writer for Her Campus under the Culture and Entertainment verticle. Her articles cover trending topics, including new releases, fan theories, and pop culture news. She has been a part of the Her Campus community since 2019, when she started as a charting member of the Her Campus St. John's University chapter. Rachel was also the chapter's President from Fall 2020 to Spring 2021. As president, Rachel managed the divisions of the chapter, gave weekly updates on progress, and led chapter meetings and events. In 2021, Rachel graduated from St. John's with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a minor in Business Administration. Rachel has freelanced in Digital Marketing and Copywriting since graduating. As an aspiring multi-media journalist, Rachel enjoys exercising her writing skills on various digital platforms. You can catch Rachel trying out new makeup trends on TikTok, watching her favorite shows, or listening to music in her free time. She is passionate about connecting with people through music, lifestyle, and cultural conversations.