Every first Monday of May, viewers tune in to the most extravagant fashion event of the year, held in New York City’s very own Metropolitan Museum of Art as a fundraiser for the museum’s costume institute. However, as we gather to watch the Met Gala and take in the extravagant outfits debuted on the red carpet, many may wonder what meaning lies beyond the eye-catching fashion and gatherings of celebrities for “fashion’s biggest night”. The truth is, the museum plays a larger role than many think, with its costume institute serving as an inspiration for the event itself.
Announced Nov. 8th, 2023 by Vogue, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion is entirely based off of the museum’s innovative spring 2024 Costume Institute exhibition, which aims to push the boundaries of fashion and invites us to truly experience a connection with a garment on another level, by appealing to the widest range of human senses. “Sleeping Beauties” refers to the estimated 250 garments on display, many said to be too fragile to hang due to them dating back hundreds of years ago. Instead, they’re to lie in glass cases, as told in the widely acclaimed tale “Sleeping Beauty”. Both traditional as well as cutting edge technology is being used to “reawaken” these garments unveiled at this exhibit, reinventing and drawing attention to the relationship between a garment and its wearer; offering a much deeper appreciation of the garments’ beauty and artistic expertise on display.
I thought this year’s theme was pretty cool and well thought out. I think the concept and how it relates to the museum and its costume institute is really interesting.” An anonymous GRHS student admits.
The 2024 Met Gala’s theme goes hand in hand with its dress code, “The Garden of Time.” A misconception among many is that the theme and the dress code are one, however that’s not actually the case with this event. “The Garden of Time” is a tale by J.G Ballard concerning a couple residing in a beautiful home, where they’re being readily approached by a destructive mob. To ward off this mob, the couple plant time flowers in their garden, that when plucked, send the approaching mob further back in time until their flowers run out and the destruction of their life together and beautiful home is completely inevitable. The exhibition itself is said to resemble a garden, and intends to be a multisensory experience for guests.
“I think people invited could have done so much more with the theme,” another anonymous sophomore stated after watching the Met Gala.
To sum up the meaning behind of the 2024 Met Gala, the theme “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” intends to motivate the conversation surrounding these unique relics of history, and pay attention to the one-of-a-kind connection between a garment and its wearer by promoting a multisensory experience for viewers in the Costume Institute’s exhibit.
