“Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” — Everything you need to know about 2024 Met Gala
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Met Gala, a celebration of fashion and art, is set to return this month and I am so excited and expect the most from various artists! With a theme that promises to be as enchanting as it is thought-provoking: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” This year’s event will not only feature a star-studded red carpet but also to expect new faces of mesmerizing collections of fashion pieces.
Met Gala this year will showcase approximately 250 items from the Costume Institute’s permanent collection, spanning four centuries of fashion history. These pieces, many of which have rarely been seen in public before, will be displayed in a way that evokes the natural world, symbolizing the impermanence of fashion and society. The exhibition will be structured around three main “zones” — Land, Sea, and Sky — tracing evolving attitudes to the natural world through craft and the manipulation of natural materials to create fashion in more stunning way.
The exhibition will be both a visual feast and a multi-sensory experience. Visitors will be able to see, hear, and smell the clothing thanks to the use of soundscapes and scents. For example, the sound of razor clam shells will be piped into the gallery to complement a dress constructed of 1,200 razor clam shells, which was inspired by a walk Alexander McQueen had with his lover on a Norfolk, Virginia beach. This immersive emphasis originates from the curator’s frustration with telling the complete tale of an object by sight, especially for individuals who suffer from sensory deprivation.
The focus on nature in the exhibition is also meant to tie into sustainability, highlighting the idea of treating the environment better and the healing power and regenerative idea. This theme is particularly relevant in the fashion world, where sustainability has become a growing concern. The main show will cover 400 years of history, from a 17th century English Elizabethan-era bodice to 21st century purchases by designers such as Phillip Lim, Stella McCartney, and Connor Ives. Elsa Schiaparelli, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, and many other legendary fashion designers will also be featured. These will be at the heart of a curation that seeks to unravel and enrich our awareness of the natural world via the fashioning of clothing and textiles.
The Met Gala itself will also reflect the theme, with celebrities expected to arrive in attire that reflects either the splendor of nature or the rich tapestry of design history. The 2024 Met Gala dress code is “The Garden of Time.” It is inspired by J.G. Ballard’s short story of the same title, written in 1962, and can be interpreted in a variety of ways, echoes the theme of the exhibition but with a nuanced difference, emphasizing “fleeting beauty” and drawing inspiration from natural imagery such as flowers.
The event has a long history of addressing diverse subjects, ranging from recognizing famous fashion designers to celebrating the art of fashion itself. This year’s “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” promises to be a memorable night that celebrates fashion’s capacity to elicit emotions, tell new stories, and transcend over time.
References:
Next Met Gala theme unveiled: the ‘sleeping beauties’ of fashion | AP News
Everything to Know About the 2024 Met Gala: Theme, Hosts and More | Vogue
Met Gala theme announced for 2024: ‘Sleeping Beauties’ — The Washington Post
