We're just days out from the fashion world's most anticipated event, the 2024 Met Gala.
Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya, Chris Hemsworth and Bad Bunny have been named as the 2024 co-chairs, alongside industry icon Anna Wintour. Serving as honourary chairs are Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.
With the co-chair announcement, which was shared on social media as a 'group chat' conversation between the co-chairs, Anna Wintour explains that the dress code for this year is 'Garden of Time.' But fashion fans were quick to point out that the Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion was announced as the theme at the end of 2023.
So, what's the difference between the theme and the dress code? What do the co-chairs do? And what can we expect this year? Here's everything you need to know...
What do the co-chairs do?
The co-chairs are the faces who represent the Met Gala during their chosen year. Alongside helping with fundraising and welcoming guests on the evening, they will promote and publicise the event through interviews, social media etc. Multiple stylish appearances from JLo and Zendaya before the Met Gala even begins? Yes, please.
What is the Met Gala 2024 dress code?
The Met Gala dress code is 'Garden of Time' - referencing a 1962 short story written by British author J. G. Ballard, which is based on a count and countess who live in a picturesque, Palladian villa. Outside, there is a garden filled with time-manipulating flowers with translucent leaves. The dress code is about "fleeting beauty" according to Vogue.
What is the Met Gala 2024 theme?
At the end of 2023, it was revealed the spring 2024 exhibition will be titled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, which will be showcased at The Met Fifth Avenue from May 10 to September 2, 2024.
The exhibition will consist of around 250 garments and accessories spanning centuries, all connected by nature-themed iconography representing the delicate and ephemeral nature of fashion. Visitors will be guided through self-contained galleries, each dedicated to a specific theme inspired by nature. These spaces will juxtapose historical and contemporary fashions, creating immersive environments that engage visitors' senses of sight, smell, touch, and hearing.
Additionally, there will be "sleeping beauties"—fragile garments displayed in glass cases, allowing visitors to closely examine their deteriorated states. Certain garments will be brought back to life using Pepper's ghost illusion technique.
By using the natural world as a symbolic representation of the fleeting nature of fashion, the exhibition will explore recurring themes of renewal and revival. It aims to revive historical garments, enabling visitors to experience their textures, smells, sounds, and movements, bringing these garments back to life in a creative and immersive way.
What outfits can we expect to see?
The Met Gala 2024 dress code normally honours the theme of the exhibition and is left to the imagination of the designers and attendees to interpret themselves. Going off of the exhibition which brings a naturalistic theme, and The Garden of Time which uses flowers to portray our lack of control over time, we're imagining moody florals, nature-themed sculptural pieces (à la Rihanna in 2017) and in true Met Gala fashion - some politically charged looks.
Who is on the guestlist?
The event typically sees around 600 guests, including celebrities, emerging talents, and industry leaders. This year, with TikTok as a sponsor, the Gala is anticipated to feature some of the platform's prominent stars. We can look forward to iconic fashion moments from Met Gala regulars like Blake Lively, Sarah Jessica Parker and Emily Ratajkowski. With Loewe as a key sponsor, we can expect creative director JW Anderson and his posse to be a big part of the proceedings.
The renowned editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour, has been steering the Met Gala since 1995 and apparently gets the ultimate say on the guest list...