The Met Gala is the fashion world's most anticipated red carpet event. This year's gala centred around the Sleeping Beauties exhibition, a collection of garments in the Met's extensive archives that are too fragile to be exhibited with traditional methods and standards. This exhibition reveals pieces of history that have been sleeping in temperature controlled chambers, complete with the decay that speaks to the hard truth of time. The exhibition is accompanied by the gala's dress code, "The Garden of Time". Every year the fashion world is on the lookout for celebrities who really hit the theme and show out with true iconic moments in fashion.
Chloë Sevigny in Dilara Findikoglu and Ana Khouri went behind the scenes of historical garments to show us what the inside of many of these artifacts look like. often in museums we only see the outside of a garment, but the outside is not bearing the brunt of the effects of wear. The inside receives the most decay by constantly brushing against the skin and being exposed to the skin's oils. Savigny's look reveals the tattered state that many garments hide on the inside. The dress is also adorned with a hint to Victorian hair jewellery which was used to memorialize people's loved ones and lives, bringing an element of mortality and time.
Tyla in Balmain explores the idea of an hourglass as a garden of time. The fitted dress feels like it coats her body, aided by the sand effect makeup on her shoulder. Adding in the context of sand being a result of decay, the look is not only a beautiful moment for fashion, it takes on the theme with a nuanced approach behind its simple exterior.
Upon first glance, Kendall Jenner in Alexander McQueen for Givenchy looks stunning but off theme. Upon further inspection and with the help of a little fashion history, the references held in this look become clear. this particular look is from Givenchy's Fall/Winter 1999 collection designed my Alexander McQueen. The collection did not have a traditional fashion show but rather a presentation in which the collection was shown on mannequins emerging from the floor. As such, this look has never been worn on a human, moving body. Looking at the exhibition for this gala, the garments featured will never be worn again. The relationship between time, clothing and the body is highlighted in Kendall Jenner's look.
While these celebs have caught our eye with smart, thematic outfits, they're not the only ones. Here are some honourable mentions for looks that really nailed the theme.
Dan Levy wears a faded floral suit, giving a sense of the passage of time for this garden.
Eddie Redmayne wears matching Steve O Smith with his wife Hannah Bagshawe. The trailing shadowy flower figures give the impression of something that was once there.
Raye wears Fendi, capturing a beautiful tangle of silver flowers that could allude to shattered silk.
To see more of the Met Gala's best dressed, check out Vogue's list below.
