The first Monday in May never fails to deliver on the fashion front.
Celebrities came out in droves to celebrate the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new Costume Institute exhibit, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” at the Met Gala 2024 — and the red carpet looks were anything but snooze-worthy.
As anticipated, given the night’s “garden of time” dress code, there were florals galore; Gigi Hadid, Amanda Seyfried and Rebecca Hall were among the many who opted for ensembles bedecked with blossoms.
Others played with the concept of time itself — like Tyla, who arrived in a wildly inventive sand-covered gown that transformed her into a walking hourglass, and Elle Fanning, whose crystalline dress resembled a frozen fountain.
Below, see our favorite looks from fashion’s biggest night.
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Zendaya
We knew we were in for a treat when the perpetually best-dressed “Challengers” actress was named one of this year’s celebrity co-chairs — and with this gorgeous Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano creation, she definitely delivered.
Comprised of a lamé and organza bias-cut dress layered over a duchess satin corset and wrapped with leaves, bunches of grapes and even a couple of hummingbirds, Zendaya’s gown was an utter fashion fantasy.
Theatrical makeup by Pat McGrath and a feathered Stephen Jones for Margiela headpiece elevated the whole ensemble further (literally, in the case of the latter).
Jennifer Lopez
While J.Lo never met a sheer, sparkly dress she didn’t love, this Schiaparelli Haute Couture stunner stands head and shoulders above the rest thanks to its flawless fit and incredible craftsmanship; it took the house’s team 800 hours to adorn the gown with over 2,500,000 silver foil bugles and beads, per a press release.
Her multicolored metallic eyeshadow added an ethereal glow, while over 100 carats of Tiffany & Co. diamonds — including a dazzling winged necklace and matching bracelet — added even more shine.
Tyla
Drawing inspiration from the sands of time, the “Water” singer’s show-stopping Balmain gown was made from a plaster cast of her body, covered with three different colors of sand and accessorized with an hourglass clutch.
“This creation stemmed from a desire to redefine boundaries and transform a transient material into an everlasting masterpiece,” Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing told Vogue. “The idea of sculpting a garment from something as ephemeral as sand ignited my imagination and I could not be happier with the end result.”
Elle Fanning
This year’s Met Gala dress code was inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story “The Garden of Time,” and it’s clear Fanning understood the assignment.
Adorned with a pair of sculpted birds, the actress’ Balmain bustier gown was covered with layers of resin that lent the look of glass — and called to mind the time-reversing crystal flowers from Ballard’s tale.
Gigi Hadid
As Miranda Priestly made clear in “The Devil Wears Prada,” florals for spring aren’t exactly groundbreaking — but they were on-theme for this year’s Met Gala, and Hadid looked like a springtime dream in this corseted Thom Browne creation blooming with three-dimensional yellow roses.
It took a team of 70 people over 13,500 hours to make the gown by hand, per Vogue, and the look is decorated with a whopping 2.8 million micro bugle beads.
“Just one rose on my outfit in itself is a work of art, and the amount of hours and people’s work that went into this dress is just incredible. It’s an honor for me to be able to present this for them, and I always walk the carpet with that in mind,” Hadid told the outlet.
Amanda Seyfried
Though made from antique silver satin, the Emmy winner’s beautiful Prada petal dress looked like it had been hammered from a whisper-thin sheet of actual metal — and we loved that she paired it with platinum hair to match.
Taylor Russell
Earthy elegance! The “Bones and All” actress made her Met Gala debut in this striking Loewe look comprised of a custom-molded, wood-inspired corset and impeccably draped skirt.
Rebecca Hall
It doesn’t get dreamier than Hall’s diaphanous Danielle Frankel dress awash with floating florals.
“The fabric caught my eye and drew me in; it looked like water made of flowers or flowers made of water, but there was so much depth I found it intriguing,” the English actress told Vogue. “When I put it on, it made me feel like Ophelia resuscitated and walking out of the lake dripping with flowers.”
Hall even wore her hair in a wet-look style and had her arms painted with matching blooms to heighten the effect. No notes!
