MET Gala 2024 Unveiled!

From Spectacular Themes to Exclusive Invitations, Get the Inside Scoop on the Highly-Anticipated Met Gala 2024.

The Met Ball and Costume Institute Gala, also known as the Met Gala, is one of fashion's most prestigious events and one of society’s most sought after invites. Organized and run by Vogue Magazine’s Anna Wintour, the Met Gala is a fundraising event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City every year.

In 1948, the inaugural event took place, led by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, who pioneered the initial fundraising event for the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibition. Traditionally, the gala included a private dinner hosted at various locations, including renowned venues like the Rainbow Room or Waldorf Astoria. However, this event was not always as elusive as it is today. The Met Ball only gained recognition after Diana Vreeland, a former Vogue editor-in-chief, joined the directing board. Her impact fundamentally transformed the fundraiser's image, leading to a surge in media coverage and the introduction of celebrity guest invitations and thematic elements. Since 1995, the Gala has generated approximately $145 million for the Costume Institute.

Nowadays, the Met Gala is a renowned annual event that hosts around 600 attendees, attracting a diverse mix of designers, celebrities and industry icons. Some of the most notable attendees include Blake Lively, often known as the queen of the Met Ball, as well as Jared Leto and Rihanna, who continue to dazzle attendees and fashion enthusiasts alike. Unfortunately, the Gala remains invitation-only, and even those lucky enough to receive these invitations are reported to pay around $35,000 for a ticket or $250,000 for a table of 10. However, following the Gala's opening night, the exhibition is accessible for public viewing.

Previous themes have included Costumes of Royal India (1985), Cubism and Fashion (1998), Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy (2008), Punk: Chaos to Couture (2013) and Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (2018) (as seen below)

What’s this year's theme?

This year’s theme has just been announced: Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.

The exhibition's centerpiece will be dormant dresses and delicate, overlooked garments that age back to 400 years ago. We can expect to see archived work from Stella McCartney, Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent and countless others. Wendy Yu and Andrew Bolton, the leading curators of the Costume Institute, have said that the exhibit will display approximately 50 pieces that are too fragile to be worn again such as an Elizabethan bodice and an 1877 silk ball gown by Charles Frederick Worth.

The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and CEO, said:

“The Met's innovative spring 2024 Costume Institute exhibition will push the boundaries of our imagination and invite us to experience the multisensory facets of a garment, many of which get lost when entering a museum collection as an object.”

What can we expect to see on the red carpet?

The Met Gala will take place on the 6th of May to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. We can anticipate a red carpet filled with outfits that evoke the idea of revival and transformation. Designers and celebrities may interpret the theme by incorporating elements of rebirth, renewal, and metamorphosis into their attire. It is likely we will see dresses and suits that feature intricate details, botanical motifs, and ethereal, dream-like designs. Additionally this year’s theme could inspire a blend of classic and avant-garde styles, symbolizing the awakening of creativity and the ever-evolving nature of fashion.

In essence, the red carpet for the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ Met Gala would likely be a display of fashion as a form of artistic and personal reawakening.

Exhibition details:

Exhibition Dates: May 10–September 2, 2024

Exhibition Location: The Met Fifth Avenue, The Tisch Galleries, Gallery 899, Floor 2

Featured image courtesy of Angela Weiss | Getty Images