The Slays And Fails At The Met Gala 2024

Fashion’s biggest night is here and boy, am I ready to unpack the looks from the red carpet. This is the night for the biggest names in film, music and fashion in celebration of the newest fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What Is The Met Gala All About?

The Met Gala or simply, The Met is an annual charity event/fundraiser for the benefit of the Costume Institute in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The event is usually held every first Monday in May, in New York City, where the museum is situated. You need to have an invitation to be able to attend this event.

The 2024 Met Gala Theme:

This year’s theme is celebrating the Costume Institute’s latest exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”. The dress code for the event however, is: “The Garden of Time”and it is inspired by a short story of a similar title written by J.G. Ballard in 1962.

If you pictured a gown or suit with floral patterns or featuring garden-inspired embroidery or fabric, you’re spot-on. The dress code’s interpretation, however, is much deeper than that, especially if we’re taking into account the short story it was inspired from.

This year’s red carpet was devoid of the Nigerian artistes that attended last year (Burnaboy and Tems) and again, some of the most anticipated celebrities (cue Rihanna and Beyoncé) but Zendaya made a comeback in two jaw-dropping outfits.

Overall, Margiela seemed to be the most favoured designer this year as a lot of celebrities opted for his designs.

The Red Carpet Slays:

Bad Bunny:

This Met Gala co-host, had me swooning when he arrived wearing a navy blue Maison Margiela Artisinal Collection by John Galliano. The unique features of his outfit include his eccentric hoof-like shoes and the large beret perched atop his head. He tied up the look with a black Flor de Maga (the national flower of his home country, Puerto Rico).

Tyla:

This South-African global phenomenon left nothing to chance for her Met Gala debut. She embodied the theme and wore a Balmain gown that moulded to her body as if it were a second skin. To really drive home the hourglass theme she was chanelling to the audience, she accessorised with sand-looking glitter on her shoulders, a silver ring and an hourglass accessory in her hand.

Zendaya:

Zendaya was another Met Gala co-host that wore a Maison Margiela mermaid-style gown that featured hummingbirds and poison ivy embellishments –a fitting interpretation to the dress code. She was styled by her all too awesome stylist, Law Roach.

Gigi Hadid:

The supermodel’s Met outfit was designed by Thom Browne and it had allegedly taken 70 people to craft it. The white dress featured a 3D embroidered yellow rose. What really blew my mind about Hadid’s look was the corseted white silk moiré jacket with yet, more rose details.

Ben Simmons:

Simmons nailed the theme in a Thom Browne ensemble that kept mostly to the garden of time concept. He sported a tartan overcoat on top of a suit made from the same material. He then carried a briefcase featuring a clock face as an accessory.

Sabrina Harrison:

Harrison slayed the theme in a chrome gown designed by Chrishabana. The tiny clocks and timepieces conveyed the dress code so beautifully and uniquely, I gasped when I saw her. From the purse to the headgear, this look had me gagged.

Alia Bhatt:

Bhatt’s Met Gala outfit was a beautiful floral saree designed by Prabal Gurung. The saree featured a flowing long train and looked almost ethereal to look upon.

Teyana Taylor:

Teyana Taylor’s dual coloured velvet dress was the breath of fresh air that was much needed at the red carpet. Her bright red strapless dress featured a thigh-high slit with a bed of roses laid beautifully on the neckline and the corset bodice. Delicate ruby gems were strewn across the dress creating an illusion of rain droplets falling from the rose petals.

Mona Patel:

This entrepreneur and philanthropist stole the Met Gala show when she showed up to the red carpet wearing an Iris Van Herpen gown that had active, fluttering butterfly wings on it.

The Fails

Nicholas Galatzine:

This actor made it to this side of my list because he made his Met Gala debut in a custom Fendi black suit . Although the suit featured embroidered flowers on it, it was still a miss as there were no razzle dazzle on the outfit.

Jennifer Lopez:

I sighed deeply, and then some more when I saw the sheer Schiaparelli outfit Ms. Lopez chose to wear to the Met. The dress did not even remotely, attempt to stick to the dress code. Her transparent outfit looked more like an outfit fit for the VMA red carpet than the Met’s.

Chris Hemsworth:

This co-host did the absolute bare minimum and did not attempt to stand out from his peers with his chosen Tom Ford getup. In other words, he gave nothing.

Emily Ratajowski:

Ratajkowski left little to the imagination with her sheer Atelier Versace gown and jewels look. Nothing about the outfit looked planned and on theme.

Rita Ora:

I was confused when I saw Ora’s archival Marni gown. What part of the theme was it supposed to represent?

Kim Kardashian:

Kim Kardashian wore a tiny metal corset gown made by Margiela that did nothing for the theme, literally and interpretively. This is yet another year where Kim Kardashian failed to deliver at the Met Gala.

Alton Mason:

Mason would have escaped this part of the list if only the dapper Thom Browne fit that he wore to the red carpet met the theme.

Kylie Jenner:

The make-up mogul wore a white Oscar de la Renta gown that gave off a bridesmaid vibe. Like last year, I was confused on what her outfit was supposed to be representing. The gown is just simply basic-looking for a Met Gala red carpet

Doja Cat:

Doja Cat simply couldn’t care about the Met Gala’s theme as she walked the red carpet in a wet T-shirt dress that hugged her curves. Not a PG friendly outfit, I must say.

Jessica Serfaty Michel:

Michel wore a custom Dolce and Gabanna floral cape reminiscent of Rihanna’s 2021 Met Gala “duvet” look that did not cut it for the audiences that year.

Cara Delevigne:

The model and actress wore a diamond-encrusted top with a hooded headpiece and white satin skirt from notable designer, Stella McCartney. It was a nice look but it didn’t stick to the stipulated theme.