We hope you got your beauty sleep — the biggest night in fashion is finally here.
The Met Gala, held on the first Monday in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, fundraises for the Costume Institute and marks the opening of its spring 2024 exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”
However, the charity event is more of a fashion fanfare, as notable figures ascend the museum’s iconic steps in custom, carefully crafted couture that falls in line with the year’s dress code.
It’s a tale as old as time — or at least as old as 1948, the year of the very first Met Gala when tickets were a measly $50.
Now, entry to the star-studded event reportedly goes for as much as $30,000.
The exclusive soirée typically raises total donations in the eight-figure range from its 450-long guest list every year, according to Vogue.
Here’s what to know about this year’s Met Gala.
How to watch
A livestream of the highly anticipated red carpet will be available exclusively on Vogue — and their social platforms — beginning at 6 p.m. EST on May 6.
Actresses Gwendoline Christie and La La Anthony plus model Ashley Graham will serve as the carpet’s hosts, per Vogue, with special interviews by internet star and podcast host Emma Chamberlain.
What to know about the theme
The theme of the evening, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” pays homage to the 250-some pieces to be displayed in the spring exhibition, which opens May 10, with some so delicate they can never be worn again.
“‘Sleeping Beauties’ will heighten our engagement with these masterpieces of fashion by evoking how they feel, move, sound, smell, and interact when being worn, ultimately offering a deeper appreciation of the integrity, beauty, and artistic brilliance of the works on display,” the Met’s CEO and Director Max Hollein told Vogue.
Some of the garments are decades old and will be presented in an innovative style, utilizing new tech such as artificial intelligence and CGI.
But the gala also comes with a dress code: “Garden of Time.” The vague guidelines — this year inspired by the 1962 short story by J.G. Ballard — give designers creative freedom to actualize the theme in various ways, from more literal looks anticipated to incorporate floral embellishments or timepieces, to more abstract interpretations.
What happens inside
The Met Gala’s best-kept secret is what, exactly, goes on inside the museum’s walls throughout the evening, with most of the fanfare occurring on the front steps ahead of the fundraiser that typically raises eight figures in donations from its 450-long guest list every year, according to Vogue.
The organizers enforce a strict no-phone policy, although a few sneaky snaps have made their way onto social platforms in years past.
There are, however, permitted photographers who release images after the gala and give eager outsiders a peek at the action, which typically involves a musical guest, dinner and a viewing of the spring exhibition.
The co-chairs
Every year, the Met Gala employs four celebrities to co-chair the event. This year’s committee selection includes “Challengers” star Zendaya, multi-hyphenate Jennifer Lopez, actor Chris Hemsworth and singer Bad Bunny to co-pilot the evening alongside Anna Wintour, the global chief content officer of Condé Nast and editor-in-chief of Vogue who has helmed the gala since 1995.
According to Vogue, this is Hemsworth’s first-ever Met Gala attendance and Bad Bunny’s third, while Zendaya has ascended the stairs five times and J.Lo 13.
Honorary chairs for the night include prominent figures from the event’s sponsors: Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s creative director, and Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok.
Wintour’s decision to invite Chew has sparked controversy, as the popular video-sharing app has fallen under intense scrutiny by the US government. Last month, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that would force the sale of TikTok or ban it entirely should it not be sold.
TikTok has reportedly shelled out millions to support the gala, and an anonymous insider told Page Six that the “deal was cut way before this bill passed.”
“What does Anna do? Does she un-invite TikTok a week before? She can’t,” the unnamed source dished. “Anna is the total dictator of this event every year, let her talk her way out of this one!”
Notable attendees
Every year, approximately 450 guests attend the Met Gala, and it’s a battle of the fittest — err, well, the most fashionable.
In addition to the co-chairs, Rihanna, a hotly anticipated guest, confirmed she would be in attendance on May 6, noting that her ensemble would be “really, like, chill,” in contrast to her past looks.
“I’m coming in as an extra this year,” she said over the weekend at an event for the cosmetic line Fenty Beauty. “I’m coming for dinner.”
There have also been talks that Taylor Swift might be in attendance for the first time since 2016.
However, People reported that the “Tortured Poets Department” songstress would not grace the carpet.
She will instead be focusing her energy on preparing for her upcoming shows for her blockbuster Eras Tour.
