Sculptural lace, sand and T-shirts: our favourite Met Gala 2024 looks
It's giving... Garden of Time. From Charli XCX to Tyla, these artists served and served on the Met carpet
It's giving... Garden of Time. From Charli XCX to Tyla, these artists served and served on the Met carpet
Last night, fashion lovers around the world were clinging to their phone screens, scrolling frantically past look after look after look for the eagerly awaited ‘Oscars of the East Coast’. While the 2023 Met Gala saw the men serving pussycats and pearls for its Karl Lagerfeld theme, and the previous year was all things gilded glamour, this year the dress code was ‘The Garden of Time’ – taking inspo from a 1962 short story by J.G. Ballard, which is ironically about wealthy aristocrats who get overrun by a working-class mob.
The theme saw many plump for florals, while others focused more on time, with wrist watches and clocks (and gave us plenty of feel good moments at the same time). Honourable mentions go to Ayo Edebiri’s dress with 3D appliqué flowers, Ambika Mod’s “dress within a dress” gown, Josh O’Connor’s long train tux complete with floral boots, Emma Chamberlain's dark lace look and Kylie Minogue’s custom Diesel outfit by Glenn Martens. Read on below for the woo team's pick of our favourite looks from the red – or should that be green – carpet.
“A dress made of sand? You heard that right. Tyla looks incredible in her first Met Gala outfit, as she wears a sand sculpture that latches onto time from the ‘Garden of Time” dress code. “The inspiration behind this creation stemmed from a desire to redefine boundaries and transform a transient material into an everlasting masterpiece,” said Olivier Rousteing. The hourglass clutch? The sand on her shoulder and forearm instead of your usual highlighter? The attendants carrying her up the steps? Iconic.” – Gaia Curti, Production Manager
“Putting Puerto Rico even more firmly on the map, the Latin prince stepped out in nothing but bespoke Maison Margiela, courtesy of John Galliano; sporting a black satin corset, navy smoking jacket with black lapels, and a reverse-swatched hat. Tim Burton is fuming he can’t reshoot Alice in Wonderland just so he could cast him. And come on, let’s not forget about the finishing touches; the sunglasses and the flowers, a deadly combo, straight out of a fairytale. Mr. Bunny, you killed the theme but we already know that’s just what you do. I tip my hat to you, good sir.” – Emerick Mukenge, Social Assistant
“From the hair to the make-up to the styling, Charli is really living that life in this Met Gala look. The dress, designed by Francisco Risso of Marni, is constructed by repurposing white tees from the ‘50s/‘60s/‘70s. Beautiful, iconic and on theme.” – Luke Innes, Head of Media
"No one serves a look better than SJP! The length, the tights, the voluminous ponytail and the hat to end all hats! From the proportions to the colour palette, this is her best Met Gala ensemble since her tartan double act with McQueen in 2006. Simply exquisite." – Charlotte Cjiffers, Publishing Director
“Perhaps a controversial choice (wearing a white T-shirt to fashion’s biggest night, really?) but I like the thinking behind it. Doja approached the theme with cotton, “one of the most used flowers”, she told reporters. It was on theme in another way, too: the wet fabric clung to her body, mimicking those marble statues often found in gardens. She also breadcrumbed her looks in the lead-up to the event, with her cling film and bedsheet street style outfits teasing the final fit, also popping out, pre-Gala, in a towel and hair turban. Her glitter tear make-up nailed that just-out-of-the-shower feel. We love a conceptual look.” – Felicity Martin, Head of Editorial
“The eternal goddess Greta Lee looked otherworldly last night in a sculptural lace Loewe gown. Made from white chantilly silk lace, embroidered with 3D flowers and a dramatic high neckline, one does wonder how on earth she ate dinner? Perhaps she had some good friends on hand at the A* Loewe table (Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist, Ayo Edebri, Omar Apollo and more) to feed her some fries over the top. For beauty, Greta paired her sheer dress with subtle peachy tones and elfin bangs which were just chefs kiss.” – Elli Weir, Head of Social
"Before you tell me to move on, I'm trying – and failing – to fill the Succession-shaped hole in my life. So yes, even at the Met Gala, my eyes were peeled on the world's number one boy, Kendall Roy – sorry, Jeremy Strong. Dressed in a bespoke Loro Piana tuxedo (that cost more than my yearly rent) with cashmere florals and a lonesome, dangling earring from Sidney Garber, Strong was channelling the luxe vulnerability of his best loved TV character. A special mention to the bush-brush moustache and grey mane, Ken-doll forever." – Darshita Goyal, Senior Writer
“A dress made of sand? You heard that right. Tyla looks incredible in her first Met Gala outfit, as she wears a sand sculpture that latches onto time from the ‘Garden of Time” dress code. “The inspiration behind this creation stemmed from a desire to redefine boundaries and transform a transient material into an everlasting masterpiece,” said Olivier Rousteing. The hourglass clutch? The sand on her shoulder and forearm instead of your usual highlighter? The attendants carrying her up the steps? Iconic.” – Gaia Curti, Production Manager
“Putting Puerto Rico even more firmly on the map, the Latin prince stepped out in nothing but bespoke Maison Margiela, courtesy of John Galliano; sporting a black satin corset, navy smoking jacket with black lapels, and a reverse-swatched hat. Tim Burton is fuming he can’t reshoot Alice in Wonderland just so he could cast him. And come on, let’s not forget about the finishing touches; the sunglasses and the flowers, a deadly combo, straight out of a fairytale. Mr. Bunny, you killed the theme but we already know that’s just what you do. I tip my hat to you, good sir.” – Emerick Mukenge, Social Assistant
“From the hair to the make-up to the styling, Charli is really living that life in this Met Gala look. The dress, designed by Francisco Risso of Marni, is constructed by repurposing white tees from the ‘50s/‘60s/‘70s. Beautiful, iconic and on theme.” – Luke Innes, Head of Media
"No one serves a look better than SJP! The length, the tights, the voluminous ponytail and the hat to end all hats! From the proportions to the colour palette, this is her best Met Gala ensemble since her tartan double act with McQueen in 2006. Simply exquisite." – Charlotte Cjiffers, Publishing Director
“Perhaps a controversial choice (wearing a white T-shirt to fashion’s biggest night, really?) but I like the thinking behind it. Doja approached the theme with cotton, “one of the most used flowers”, she told reporters. It was on theme in another way, too: the wet fabric clung to her body, mimicking those marble statues often found in gardens. She also breadcrumbed her looks in the lead-up to the event, with her cling film and bedsheet street style outfits teasing the final fit, also popping out, pre-Gala, in a towel and hair turban. Her glitter tear make-up nailed that just-out-of-the-shower feel. We love a conceptual look.” – Felicity Martin, Head of Editorial
“The eternal goddess Greta Lee looked otherworldly last night in a sculptural lace Loewe gown. Made from white chantilly silk lace, embroidered with 3D flowers and a dramatic high neckline, one does wonder how on earth she ate dinner? Perhaps she had some good friends on hand at the A* Loewe table (Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist, Ayo Edebri, Omar Apollo and more) to feed her some fries over the top. For beauty, Greta paired her sheer dress with subtle peachy tones and elfin bangs which were just chefs kiss.” – Elli Weir, Head of Social
"Before you tell me to move on, I'm trying – and failing – to fill the Succession-shaped hole in my life. So yes, even at the Met Gala, my eyes were peeled on the world's number one boy, Kendall Roy – sorry, Jeremy Strong. Dressed in a bespoke Loro Piana tuxedo (that cost more than my yearly rent) with cashmere florals and a lonesome, dangling earring from Sidney Garber, Strong was channelling the luxe vulnerability of his best loved TV character. A special mention to the bush-brush moustache and grey mane, Ken-doll forever." – Darshita Goyal, Senior Writer
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