Yearly, the Met Gala unites the fashion community as the pinnacle of couture gracing the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. With this year’s gala taking place on May 6th, sticking to its annual rule of being on the first Monday in May, there is no better time to delve into the ins, outs and potential garments of the most anticipated and exclusive event.
This year's theme, 'a garden in time,' will be in honour of the gala’s exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” where 50 rare garments that are too fragile to be worn again will be displayed. It is a quintessential interpretation of the fragility of existence in honour of the archival collection.
The theme itself sets to delve into the Ballardian world taken directly from J.G Ballard’s tale, dipping into dystopia, illusion and conceptualised versions of reality that provide ample space to ponder on the unveiling meaning and perhaps if explored to its fullest, one of the institutes most pivotal themes.
The story details a Count and Countess, overlooking their garden of surrealist botanical creations. However, with an impending angry swarm encroaching, the Count must strike a time reversing flowers from said garden to maintain tranquillity until they inevitably come to an end leaving them as statues overseeing a desecrated garden. Personal interpretation reads this story as a striking tale of avoidance, denial and the notion that tranquillity through life is not an eternal source.
Undoubtedly themes of floral, botanical, and nature come to mind. An archival collection we're keen to see on the steps is Galliano’s Autumn Winter 2010 collection for Dior. The garments, inspired by flowers, hold a note of hostility, and darkness unassociated with the bright myriad of colours we expect, particularly in the organza ball gowns of black tool disseminating into bright contrast colours resembling petals. This would make a wonderful nod to the impending threat for the Count and Countess as their blooms inevitably see their end in the array of haunted Botanics this collection provides.
Alternatively, this element could be explored through the lens of the preservation of time, companionship, and beauty. Miss Sohee’s spring 24’ couture collection features a showstopping nude illusion dress with cascading floral embellishments, paired with a pink pleated shawl atop. This and other pieces from the collection would be a celebration of the more romanticised take on the theme, a focus on the beauty reflected in light florals, embellishments and elegant silhouettes.
On the focus on the fragility of time, one could look to Iris Van Herpen’s glass dimension dress, undoubtedly just for the runway, would make a thoughtful nod to how delicate our time is and the notion that with too much human input and control, it too may shatter and fall apart.
The theme alone is not the only aspect to delve into, the co-chairs play a fundamental role in developing the night, from assisting in the creation of the menu, curating the who’s and what’s of the night and promoting it, they set the standard and expectations. 2024’s co-chairs are Rapper Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and Anna Wintour who has personally chaired or co-chaired the event since 1995.
Tickets this year go for $50,000 or $300,000 for a table, only after being personally approved by Vogue's Anna Wintour, only aiding the elusive nature of the night.
Whatever the celebs opt to wear for the 2024 Met Gala will surely spark debate, as it does every year.
Edited by Emily Duff
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