The 2024 Met Gala is just hours away, and Vogue has released the year’s theme, “Garden of Time,” in February.
Since then, fashion critics and lovers have been gearing up for the annual gala. An article by Elle says the theme is “a celebration of fashion that is so fragile now that it can no longer be worn,” which is an elegant way of saying very antique clothing.
With May 6 right around the corner, Vogue has been giving us all the content we need to keep abreast of this year’s Gala.
Fashion’s biggest night of the year is looking out for a huge turnout of celebrities and fashion. Last year’s theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, which celebrated the life of renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. It was attended by Naomi Campbell dressed in Chanel, Doja Cat in Oscar de la Renta, and Kim Kardashian dressed in Schiaparelli.
This year’s theme is based on J.G Ballard’s 1962 short story The Garden of Time. The theme also takes inspiration from the Met Museum exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”
Celebrities will have the chance to look through the exhibition’s 250 pieces from the world’s biggest designers — drawing inspiration from historical pieces and adding their own modern twist. The exhibition includes pieces from Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Hubert de Givenchy.
The fashion gods are expected to roll out their best pieces on the carpet. As per the theme, outfits will incorporate greens, florals, and 17th-century-inspired clothing.
Here are my expectations for the 2024 Met Gala:
Celebrity co-chairs
Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Lopez, and Anna Wintour will serve as co-chairs for the evening, and they are no strangers to the Met Gala. E-News wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “The 2024 Met Gala co-chairs make an absolute dream team.”
Zendaya has attended the event five times, wearing iconic pieces from Michael Kors, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, and other notable brands.
Jenny from the block is no stranger to the Met Gala; having attended 13 times, she is a seasoned veteran at the Gala. Lopez has worn pieces from Ralph Lauren, Versace, Balmain and Valentino. She is always poised and has the best outfits and relationships with the biggest designers. Lopez is the perfect co-chair to represent this year’s Met Gala.
Also in attendance will be Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth — newer attendees to the Gala. Bad Bunny has attended three times, and this will be Hemsworth’s first time. This diverse lineup will definitely have fans excited. From music, acting, and fashion, Anna Wintour is scoring big points in the celebrities this year.
Celebrity guest list
As we know, the Met Gala is attended by some of the world’s most famous celebrities. The guest list is never disclosed but I have a few ideas about who will be in attendance.
1. Kim Kardashian
Business mogul Kim Kardashian is always a crowd favourite for the Met Gala. The reality TV star constantly outdoes herself every year but can’t stay on the theme. Nonetheless, she always delivers looks that have fashion critics raving.
2. Rihanna
Queen of the Met Gala Rihanna is no stranger to the annual event. “Bad Gal Riri” always dresses to impress.
Rihanna has attended the Met Gala 10 times, and since 2007, she has worn daring looks, making herself a crowd favourite. Whether it be Rihanna on the carpet alone or with her boo A$AP Rocky, she always shows out.
Last year, a pregnant Rihanna wore a white floral Valentino gown. Arriving fashionably late as the queen does, she rocked the red carpet while making fashion’s top best-dressed list. Her Met Gala looks have gone from innocent to daring to artistic.
Rihanna always leaves an impression on any red carpet. The Grammy Award winner has been confirmed to attend this year’s Gala, but we have no idea what she will be wearing. All we know is that it will keep us talking for years.
My favourite Rihanna look is her 2017 Margiela Heavenly Bodies look. The jewels dazzled the singer as she walked, making it one of the most iconic Met Gala looks of all time.
3. Beyonce
Queen Bey is a force to be reckoned with on and off the stage, which is why we’re so eager to see if she will attend this year’s Met Gala. Beyonce often moves by her drum, so fans never know if she will attend.
Dropping her album Cowboy Carter in March, fans are excited to see if she will walk the red carpet. Beyonce has attended the Met Gala seven times, sporting pieces from well-known designers Emilio Pucci and Givenchy.
Mrs. Carter’s gala looks are usually simple, but she rocks them in true Beyonce style. Her most iconic look has to be the 2014 black Givenchy look. That night is remembered for the sheer beauty of the outfit and the drama surrounding the evening. Solange, Beyonce’s younger sister, and Jay-Z, Beyonce’s husband, got into an altercation in an elevator caught on video surveillance.
The incident is still talked about to this day, and the public has never truly found out the reason behind the heated fight. Nonetheless, Beyonce handled the situation with grace, even joking about it in her song Flawless Remix released in 2014, when she sang, “We escalatin’, Up in this bitch like elevators, Of course sometimes shit go down when it’s a billion dollars on an elevator, Of course sometimes shit go down when it’s a billion dollars on an elevator.”
We can only hope to see the queen walking the carpet in all her glory.
As the Oscars of fashion roll around, I’m gathering all my fashion magazines and watching all my favourite shows to prepare for the night. Trust me, I will be sitting at home judging outfits, and I know you will be too.