Top 10 MET Gala looks
There are three nights in the calendar year that I will always stay up for without fail: New Years Eve, my birthday and the first Monday in May of course.
It’s time to unpack the 2024 Met Gala. The theme was Garden of Time to support the Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion exhibition. Let’s talk about the Met Gala looks that made it into my top ten this year. I always mentally make two best dressed lists based on who actually made an effort to stick to the theme and who just looks really good in their outfit. Of course this is my opinion, you are free to agree and disagree.
Grab your mugs and make your tea extra hot. By the time you finish reading, it would have brewed and you’ll have something to think about as you sip...let’s begin.
NO.1
NAME: TYLA & OLIVIER ROUSTEING (Left to right)
WEARING: BALMAIN
REVIEW: I do have a Balmain bias but that’s because they create gems like this. Tyla’s dress and Olivier’s top is made out of sand!
Her dress is sculpted to fit her perfectly which takes tailoring and couture to new heights while showing off his creative vision. I can imagine the Balmain team hearing the brief for this MET a couple months ago, getting excited, brainstorming ideas and really putting in the work and hours to get this look together. I can always appreciate when you can tell that it wasn’t an overnight rushed look: time and care was dedicated to execute this final look. All the guests that are able to attend with a designer that knows and understands couture are in safe hands because what the MET Gala is all about wearable art.
They focused on the time element of the theme, even the handbag is a hourglass. I would love to have also seen this dress in a Dune press tour because it just makes sense.
Ate and left no crumbs...or should I say specks of dust.
NO.2
NAME: SABRINA HARRISON
WEARING: CHRISHABANA
REVIEW: When I say this on the live recording of the MET Gala, my jaw dropped. I immediately had to find out who this person was and who is responsible for this showstopper.
I’m not a fan of attendees who choose to just put on a pretty dress with minimal effort - but Sabrina managed to wear such a beautiful dress that is perfectly on theme and is art - round of applause! It’s not easy to wear a full gold look without looking like an Oscars trophy (which isn’t bad either) but the details in this is indeed Oscar worthy.
I was immediately drawn to the detail of the melting clock on her breastplate as it reminded me of the surrealism artwork by Salvador Dali ‘The Persistence of Memory’. (My GCSE art teacher would be very proud of me for remembering that.)
Every aspect of the look is intentional from head to toe with the dramatic headpiece being a literal clock. Admittedly, I can imagine the risks when designing this look, it easily could have boarded tacky with the mini clock detail cascading down the dress - but what is the MET Gala if not a place to take risks. This definitely payed off.
NO.3
NAME: ZENDAYA
WEARING: MAISON MARGIELA
REVIEW: You can tell it’s Maison Margiela from a mile away from the fabric choice to the structural elements. But if that’s not enough, then the dark, doll like make up seen in their last couture collection should give you some indication. This look is so enchanting and I felt like my eyes went on an adventure as she made her way up those steps.
Law Roach and Zendaya are an unbeatable fashion duo for a very key reason - they are never afraid to try. I might need a whole separate blog post on this but I’ll just start with saying Zendaya is confident enough in herself to try out daring looks and Law knows her well enough for her to trust him. Their goal isn’t to look pretty, it's to understand and deliver on theme. That ladies and gentlemen is the difference between being fashionable and stylish.
NO.4
NAME: WISDOM KAYE
WEARING: ROBERT WUN
REVIEW: I was genuinely so happy to see him here. I saw him coming out from the hotel and before knowing it was him, I was obsessed. Besides Coleman Domingo, there weren’t many other males whose imagination extended beyond a tux or penguin suit. Therefore, I will always apploud those who put in that effort. The MET Gala isn’t just for the girls and I would love to see more men taking some more risks.
A full red look is as bold as it gets and coupled with the burnt edges - I’m sold! Wisdom Kaye is a phenomenal stylist all on his own so I was very happy to see that he brought his A Game and made all his tiktok fans (myself included) super proud. I didn’t notice many tiktokers present this year, but they chose him and I must say, they chose well.
I can imagine this look on a massive Hollywood style live action of Alice in the Wonderland where the Mad Hatter joins forces with the Queen of Hearts wearing this look - my imagination runs a little wild ;)
NO.5
NAME: TAYLOR RUSSELL
WEARING: LOEWE
REVIEW: If I had to pick a brand for Taylor to arrive with, it would still be Loewe. Loewe remind me of renovated houses that still managed to keep the flair and timelessness of the original buildings. This is shown perfectly through this look.
The bodice is wooden and sculpted to Taylor for a personalised, artistic and modern look. The drape of the skirt adds that delicate touch that is always present in Loewe. I see strength and fragility in this look from the tree like top to the soft covering of the skirt.
I love this look because it took a different approach of simply adding flowers to an outfit to fit the theme, because a garden is made of more than lillies and roses, there are also the trees. That being said, I would have loved to see other looks like this perhaps focusing on the undesirable aspects of a garden such as unmovable weeds and insects.
NO.6
NAME: LANA DEL REY AND DOVE CAMERON (LEFT TO RIGHT)
WEARING: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN AND DIESEL (LEFT TO RIGHT)
REVIEW: These two understand what I meant and highlighted a decaying garden. The theme was a garden of time, so I was glad to see gardens represented at different points in time.
Both looks are beautifully executed to highlight the imperfections and actually work well together even though they didn’t come as a pair. Lana’s outfit looks like what Dove’s will evolve into in this theoretical garden of time. Going from deteriorating flowers until all that's left is the thorns. I need these two looks beside eachother in the MET exhibition.
NO.7
NAME: ALIA BHATT
WEARING: SABYASACHI
REVIEW: When watching the interviews during the live, there is one thing I love more than a host who asks the right questions and that is a guest who knows about their look. Alia didn’t just know about the process to make the dress (which took 1000 hours by the way), but she genuinely appreciated the craftsmanship and gave the designer his flowers after he hand embroidered them into her dress. This sari featured a 23 foot long train with glass beading and gemstones among other embellishments.
NO.8
NAME: KENDALL JENNER
WEARING: GIVENCHY
REVIEW: Unpopular opinion, Kendall was actually perfectly on theme. The MET Gala theme was Garden of Time, and the exhibition was Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. This focused on past garments that are too fragile to be worn again and had maybe a single air time before being archived and kept in this capsule of time... see where I’m going with this?
Kendall’s look is from the Givenchy archives and had never been worn before this day. As a result, no alterations were allowed to be made to this dress, luckily for her it slipped right on. If you ask me, that hits a bullseye for the theme.
Regarding the actual look, I love a deep V in the waist, I think it is so flattering. I would wear this look (minus the slight flashing at the back). I can also imagine this look on Maleficent, probably because of the hair, but also from the fabric and colours.
NO.9
NAME: DEMI MOORE & HARRIS REED
WEARING: HARRIS REED
REVIEW: I am all here for a loud, dramatic moment in the MET Gala and this duo owned their moment. For an event like this every attendee should have their time in the spotlight and its not easy to create looks that compliment each other without looking like Minions in uniform - they understood the assignment.
Demi’s look played with shape while Harris’ look experimented with draping. Their looks together tell a story of a blossoming flower followed by what Harris described as ivy. This ensamble was a match made in the Met Gala.
NO.10
NAME: ZENDAYA
WEARING: JOHN GALLIANO’S GIVENCHY
REVIEW: Zendaya gave us not one but two looks. Even though on this ranking the second look is sitting at No.10,that does not mean that it is the worst look of the night. (There were way more than 10 people at the MET).
The dress is dramatic, beautifully fitted and probably super heavy - but it was the headpiece that stole the show. It is a masterpiece and very camp looking. I can tell that it was well made since Zendaya seemed to have no trouble balancing it on her head while making her way up the stairs for a second time which of course is a sign of precious couture.
Another thing to point out about the headpiece is the actual construction around her head that curves so naturally. It’s not easy for a statment piece to not over power the wearer and end up having the clothes wearing the person. I can imagine this outfit in a modern adaption of a Victorian period drama where the villain wears this look to a funeral.
Now you can find your mug of tea that you made earlier as I wrap this up.
My opinion on the looks: overall, I’m quite content. I’m usually quite critical of the recent MET Gala looks but this year saw some progress and effort. Some stuck to the theme better than others but it was quite an easy theme to interpret in many cool ways - give me a rose and an archival look and you’ve met the entry requirements.
I’m a fashion student and I would LOVE someday to be on the carpet interviewing the guests, seeing wearable art, up close and really unpacking the meaning behind their looks. This year the Balmain sand looks are my Roman Empire. If I could go to the Met Gala someday (or should I say when I go) I would love to be dressed by Balmain. Olivier tu peux commencer à dessiner mon look s'il te plais.
