Met Gala 2024: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ theme for the exhibit and ‘The Garden of Time’ dress code for the Gala explained

Met Gala returns with excitement as A-listers gather at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 6. Let's decode the theme and dress code for 2024

The highly-anticipated Met Gala, fashion's grandest occasion, returns on its traditional first Monday of May, bringing excitement to fashion enthusiasts worldwide as they eagerly await the event at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 6. This magical night draws A-listers to New York, captivating global curiosity as fans anticipate the captivating ensembles of their favourite stars. Guests adorn themselves in extravagant, awe-inspiring outfits, setting trends and sparking discussions. While creativity knows no bounds at the gala, guests' styles are inspired by the annual theme and dress code, adding to the anticipation and allure of the evening. While we wait for the official ceremony to begin, let's understand this year's theme and dress code.

Met Gala 2024 theme 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' explained

This year's theme, 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,' reflects the title of the Costume Institute's Spring 2024 exhibition. Rather than dressing as sleeping beauties, celebrities will be inspired by the exhibition's focus on reviving unique garments from four centuries, offering a fresh perspective to those who encounter them.

The exhibition, a significant event in the fashion world, will showcase significant pieces spanning over 400 years of fashion history, featuring iconic designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Hubert de Givenchy. Despite its title, the theme doesn't revolve around fairytales or fables; instead, it celebrates and highlights fragile pieces of fashion deemed too delicate for wear, affectionately termed the 'sleeping beauties.'

The Met's website outlines that the exhibition will feature approximately 250 garments and accessories. These pieces will be visually connected through nature-inspired iconography, symbolising the delicate and fleeting essence of fashion. According to the Met website, “The show will explore cyclical themes of rebirth and renewal, breathing new life into these storied objects through creative and immersive activations designed to convey the smells, sounds, textures, and motions of garments that can no longer directly interact with the body.”

The exhibition will feature a collection of 'sleeping beauties', garments too fragile to be worn by mannequins, which will instead be displayed in glass cases that resemble 'coffins'. This arrangement will allow visitors to examine their state of decay under a microscope. Some of these selected pieces will be brought back to life using Pepper's Ghost, an illusion technique. The exhibition will run from May 10 to September 2, 2024, following the Met Gala.

All about Met Gala 2024 dress code, "The Garden of Time"

The Met Gala 2024 dress code, entitled 'The Garden of Time', will echo the theme of the exhibition but with a nuanced difference. It emphasises 'fleeting beauty', drawing inspiration from natural imagery such as flowers. The reference to a 'garden' in the title alludes to this focus. Interestingly, the title 'The Garden in Time' is inspired by a 1962 short story by JG Ballard. In this story, a count and his wife use a garden decorated with crystal flowers to defend themselves from an approaching army.

Inspired by Ballard's evocative prose and the meticulously curated exhibition, gala attendees can expect to see celebrities arriving in attire that reflects either the splendour of nature or the rich tapestry of design history. Those inclined to the 'garden' aspect of 'The Garden of Time' might opt for floral prints, motifs and colour palettes, embracing three-dimensional designs that intricately incorporate floral elements or oversized floral embellishments, manipulating garment structure and silhouette. Conversely, those focusing on the 'time' facet might explore the theme through archival fashion, using vintage pieces to evoke a sense of temporal depth and historical resonance.

This dress code can be interpreted in a number of ways: if flowers aren't the celebs' thing, the idea of 'time' might be. They had three options: they could follow a scientific or historical path, or they could take the literal route and draw inspiration for their style from clock faces around the world. The theme and the dress code are linked by the idea of time.