The Met Gala is commonly known as the party of the year for celebrities or the Superbowl for fashion enthusiasts. This year marks the 76th anniversary of the event, and the theme, “The Garden of Time,” marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” Most followers interpreted this to mean floral or ethereal designs, or pieces pulled from the archives as an homage to sleeping beauties, meaning pieces that have been dormant for a while.
Unsurprisingly, this year’s biggest trend was florals, representing the garden. One of my favorite flowery looks from this year came from model Gigi Hadid who wore a stunning white Thom Brown gown with black lining and yellow flowers. Rapper Nicki Minaj also shone in a Marni mini dress which looked like a surrealist painting that had come to life, spotted with colorful 3D flowers.
Some attendees had more creative interpretations of the dress code. Singer Tyla wore a remarkable Balmain floor-length gown which mimicked falling sand, paired with an hourglass purse to represent passing time. Singer Lana Del Rey also came in an obscure look, wearing an archival Alexander McQueen-inspired tan dress with a mesh veil. It had brown branches that crept around her arms and assembled antlers, an ethereal look that matched her dark romantic style. Actress and co-chair of the event Zendaya wore not one but two looks, the first an astonishing royal blue and black Maison Margiela gown that resembled a magical forest and the second a gothic black Givenchy dress with an upside-down flower bouquet headpiece.
As with every year, many attendees did not execute the theme adequately. Influencer Kylie Jenner wore a cream gown that was elegant in its own right but only had a singular flower in her hair to speak to the dress code, a bland attempt at the theme. Actor Chris Hemsworth, who was also a co-chair, wore a simple cream suit which seemed boring in light of some of the other men who elevated their suits with designs or patterns.
While there were a few attendees who showed up and showed out, the majority of celebrities wore disappointingly forgettable looks. Additionally, many fan-favorite Met veterans didn’t attend this year like Blake Lively, Rihanna, and Timothee Chalamet. Hopefully next year there will be more attendees that take risks with their outfits and make the event more entertaining for viewers with a more impressive selection of looks.
