The 2024 Met Gala was hosted on Monday, May 6. The fashion event raised money for this year’s Costume Institute exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”. The exhibit focuses on giving new life to garments that are too faded and fragile to be worn again.

The dress code for the celebrities in attendance was “Garden of Time” based on J.G. Ballard’s short story of the same name. The story tells of a count and his wife who live in a beautiful mansion. One day, the count sees an angry mob approaching the house, so he plucks the flowers in his garden to reverse time and push the mob back. Eventually, he runs out of flowers and the mob reaches the mansion to find it overgrown with weeds, and a statue of the count and his wife in the garden.

The theme can be interpreted in many ways. Some designers chose to go with florals, some played more into the concept of time, and others took inspiration from themes and details of the story. Here is a recap of the standout looks from the red carpet.

Zendaya returned to the Met Gala for the first time since 2019 and did not disappoint. John Galliano created her deep blue and green gown of tulle. It references a dress he made at Christian Dior in 1999 for a summer haute couture show. The dress resembles a peacock through its style and color. It compliments the theme with metallic birds and fruit sprinkled throughout the garment. A gorgeous detail of the look is Zendaya’s haunting gothic makeup. It combines rich hues of purple, pink, and red. The dark lip and thin brows are a classic Margiela touch. The only downfall of the look is her forest green beret by Stephen Williams. The headpiece could have been more elaborate or made of tulle to accompany the dress. More attention to detail with her hair could have elevated the look too.

Tyla’s star is rising not just in music, but in fashion too. Her nod to “Sands of Time” has crowned her in many people’s eyes as best dressed at the Met Gala. The form-fitting dress was made of three colors of sand and micro crystal studs. The mermaid train glittered across the carpet. Every detail of the look is well thought out and seamless. From the hourglass clutch to the simple hair and glam to the touch of sand on her shoulder, Tyla shines in this look. However, fashion doesn’t equal function. The dress was so fragile, that Tyla had to be carried up the Met steps to avoid it from crumbling. Once inside the Met, Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing had to cut into the garment, making the once-long train a mini dress for easier movement.

Alia Bhatt returned in a mesmerizing pale green saree for her second Met Gala. The saree is intricately and beautifully made. The gemstones, embroidered flowers, and glass beads make the garment a remarkable work of craftsmanship. 163 dedicated artists contributed to the piece. Even her classic hair and makeup are done with perfection. “Timelessness is endless, and we acknowledge that things crafted with time and care can last forever. In our journey for an Indian interpretation of this universal theme, the outfit took on a life of its own” Bhatt said in a tweet. “Nothing embodies tradition and innovation like the saree”. Bhatt and her team certainly achieved their goal of creating something timeless.

Ariana Grande’s mystical dress stunned the red carpet. The bodice is made entirely of her birthstone, mother of pearl, with a long, flowing, white skirt. The fairytale-like floral details on her eyes tie in the event’s theme. Grande arrived at the Met Gala with actress and singer, Cynthia Erivo. The two are starring in the film “Wicked” based on the Broadway musical. To promote the movie, they dressed somewhat in character. The whimsy of the look fits Ariana Grande’s character, Glinda, perfectly. Her simple makeup and minimal jewelry put all eyes on her dress. The main flaw of the look is Grande’s hair. Though her signature high ponytail is a classic, the outfit would’ve benefited from Grande’s hair being down or styled more interestingly.

This Vogue editor wore a gorgeous multi-color floral gown. The basic pattern makes way for an impressive silhouette. The bubble skirt is fun, dynamic, and different than anything else from the 2024 Met Gala carpet. Though the dress took the theme very literally, it is not too intensely floral like other looks were. The chunky navy necklace adds an interesting touch. This is another example of hair needing improvement. The look could have been much more intriguing with some styling. Here, the hair doesn’t look styled at all.

Overall, these looks stood out from the crowd. However, with such a creative theme, designers lacked creativity this year.