Like every year before it, the lead-up to Fashion Christmas the 2024 Met Gala was rife with speculation. Everything from the guest list, to the theme, to how said guest list would interpret said theme have been up for debate. Now, finally, the first Monday in May is upon us and all of our questions have been answered, care of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s sprawling staircase.
The theme for this year’s Met Gala is “Garden of Time,” and like previous years, it’s a celebration of the Costume Institute’s annual spring exhibition, which this year is ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’. The exhibition (which opens later this week, on May 10) will span 400 years of fashion history and includes roughly 15 historically significant and ultra-rare pieces that are too delicate to be worn again — and these are the sleeping beauties the exhibition is named after (apologies to any Disney fans). Perhaps the most spoken-about piece in the exhibition is an evening cloak worn by Charles Frederick Worth in the 1800s, called ‘Tulipes Hollandaises’, and hints to a darker and moodier take on florals in spring (which might actually be… groundbreaking).
Early predictions from what we can expect from the red carpet suggested more than one interpretation of the theme, which is customary of the event. Some said a literal interpretation of “time” might see celebrities wearing entire dresses made from vintage watch faces or embracing a clock motif — and while the latter was true of one or two attendees, “sands of time” was a more abstract take on the “time” aspect of the theme. Other predictions included gowns adorned with real, live, growing flowers and foliage, which didn’t eventuate; crystalline looks inspired by J.G Ballard’s 1962 short story, also titled The Garden of Time, which did. And of course, the expectation of florals, florals, and more florals turned out to be correct.
Loewe is also an official supporter of the exhibition at The Met, and with the House’s creative director Jonathan Anderson being named as an honorary chair of the Met Gala this year, we expected to see quite a bit of Loewe on the carpet as well. (Though there were no oversized anthuriums, hand-beaded and embroidered designs from the autumn winter 2024 show on the carpet did appear.)
Keep on scrolling to see all the best looks from the 2024 Met Gala.
Zendaya wearing Maison Margiela Couture.Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Jennifer Lopez wearing Schiaparelli Haute Couture.hoto: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Da’Vine Joy Randolph wearing custom GAP by Zac Posen.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Taylor Russell wearing Loewe.
Photo: Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Queen Latifah wearing Thom Browne.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Ashley Graham wearing Ludovic de Saint Sernin.hoto: Aliah Anderson/Getty Images
Greta Lee wearing Loewe.Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Bad Bunny wearing custom Maison Margiela.Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Ayo Edebiri wearing Loewe.Photo: Theo Wargo/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
Elle Fanning wearing Balmain.Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Lana Del Rey wearing custom Alexander McQueen.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Amanda Seyfried wearing custom Prada.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Lis Nax wearing custom Luar. Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Gabrielle Union wearing Michael Kors.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Rosalía wearing Dior Haute Couture.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Gwendoline Christie wearing custom Maison Margiela.Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Zendaya wearing Givenchy SS96 Couture.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Adwoa Aboah wearing custom H&M.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Sydney Sweeney wearing Miu Miu.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Quannah Chasinghorse wearing custom H&M.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Greta Gerwig wearing Chloé.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Mindy Kaling wearing Gaurav Gupta.Photo: Mike Coppola/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Ambika Mod wearing Loewe.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Colman Domingo wearing Willy Chavarria.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Emma Chamberlain wearing custom Jean Paul Gaultier.Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Janelle Monáe wearing custom Vera Wang.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Cara Delevigne wearing Stella McCartney.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Amelia Gray wearing Undercover SS24 RTW.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Harris Reed wearing Harris Reed.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Cynthia Erivo wearing Thom Browne.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Aya Nakamura wearing custom Balmain.Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Tyla wearing Balmain.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Ben Simmons wearing Thom Browne.Photo: Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images
Hari Nef wearing custom H&M.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a Richard Quinn dress and a Philip Treacy hat.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Karol G wearing Marc Jacobs.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Rita Ora and Taika Waititi wearing Marni.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Gigi Hadid wearing Thom Browne.Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Laufey wearing Prabal Gurung.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Dua Lipa wearing Marc Jacobs.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Venus Williams wearing Marc Jacobs.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Keke Palmer wearing Marc Jacobs.Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Willow Smith wearing Dior Haute Couture.Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Riley Keough wearing Chanel.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Sabrina Carpenter wearing Oscar de la Renta.Photo: Lexie Moreland/WWD via Getty Images
Kendall Jenner wearing archive Givenchy 1999.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
FKA Twigs wearing Stella McCartney.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Awkwafina wearing custom H&M.Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Alia Bhatt wearing a Sabyasachi saree.Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Kerry Washington wearing custom Oscar de la Renta.Photo: John Shearer/WireImage
Demi Moore wearing Harris Reed.Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Lizzo wearing Fendi.Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Nicki Minaj wearing Marni.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Eva Chen wearing Robert Wun.Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Emily Ratajkowski wearing Atelier Versace FW01 Haute Couture from Tab Vintage.hoto: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/VogueWisdom Kaye
Wisdom Kaye wearing Robert Wun.
Lea Michele wearing Rodarte.Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
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