It was always going to be a great night for vintage fashion with the theme of the Met Gala this year being “The Garden of Time”, inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story of the same name. It also marked the opening of the Costume Institution’s spring 2024 exhibit, entitled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Open to the public this Friday, the exhibition in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art centres around 250 garments and accessories that span over four decades of history, making them too delicate and fragile to ever be worn again.
So it came as no surprise that many of fashion’s major houses decided to play on this theme, using both vintage and vintage-inspired creations, as well as upcycled and archival textiles, to dress some of our favourite A-listers on what has become fashion’s most revered night.
First up, all eyes were on Gala co-chair and actress of the moment, Zendaya, who stole the show with not one, but two incredible creations by John Galliano. Having taken a hiatus from the Met Gala carpet, this was her first comeback since 2019 when the Challengers star appeared as a modern-day Cinderella, complete with a light-up ball gown and a ‘forgotten’ glass slipper on those now infamous MoMA steps.
Zendaya in vintage Givenchy
© Getty ImagesZendaya’s second red carpet look was a true vintage look, again by Galliano but this time from the designer’s stint at Givenchy. The black off-shoulder creation, originally worn on the spring/summer 1996 couture runway, was given the floral treatment once paired with a rose covered headpiece by millinery master Philip Treacy. A piece originally designed for Alexander McQueen’s spring/summer 2006 runway.
Kendall Jenner in vintage Givenchy
© Getty ImagesKendall Jenner stunned in two vintage pieces - both by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy - that were true works of art. The first piece was originally presented on a revolving mannequin for Givenchy autumn/winter 1999 couture, making Jenner the first person to ever wear one of these incredible archival pieces from the late Alexander McQueen.
Kendall Jenner in vintage Givenchy
© Getty ImagesKendall's second dress, also by the late British designer for Givenchy haute couture spring/summer 1997, gave us Claire Danes in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet vibes. With its white lamb leather corset, made to look like feathered wings, and its diaphanous silk satin chiffon waterfall skirt, the model and The Kardashians star looked positively angelic as she headed to a Met Gala after party.
Emily Ratajkowski in vintage Versace
© Getty ImagesLeaving little to the imagination, EmRata donned an archival Versace piece from their autumn/winter 2001 atelier collection. The see-through creation was covered in tiny crystal beads that (sort of) covered the model’s private parts. Emily then went on to wear another sheer vintage number, this time from Givenchy's spring/summer 1998 collection, for the Met Gala after-parties.
Bee Carrozzini in vintage Alexander McQueen
© Getty ImagesDaughter to Met Gala co-chair and American Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, film producer Bee Carrozzini wore a monochrome vintage Alexander Mcqueen lace gown from Sarah Burton’s spring/summer 2016 collection.
