The Met Gala '24 💋

The Met 2024 

Isn't it so special when the world's most elite and famous come together for a parade? Thousands of dollars drip from their torsos and onto the blood carpet, creating a trail of inadequacies and tiny brain cells. It all feels very dystopian - the outside world peering into their exceptional and untouchable lives. The cost of these events is absurd and would probably save Palestine in a day if they put it all together. 

I like having nice things and I get it, wear your sh*t and flaunt it. I feel bad about a worldwide, broadcasted event that takes a magnifying glass to the rich and famous. It applauds their work and reduces other work on the platform - activism, people needing help, important policies to discuss etc. Although I'm opening up a can of worms on the duties of famous people, I want to bring it back down to THE FASHION HUNGER GAMES.

When something is thrust into the public space it beckons criticism. I love fashion and although my intent is not to criticise the hours of work donned by fashion moguls, I want to hit you with my hot-take. Take it with a grain of salt as always. 

The theme for The Met Gala 2024 is 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.' Sleeping Beauty is a character in “The Garden of Time," a short story by J.G. Ballard, a British author who specialised in dystopian works of fiction. The story represents death/incapacitation and also new beginnings. 

In seeking to meet this theme, the rich and famous interpret this idea in a variety of ways to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Here are my top looks (my own opinion). 

ZENDAYA 

Zendaya look 1

Zendaya look 2

Zendaya EMBODIED the thematic exploration of 'The Garden Story.' I love when actors apply their skills and wear the fashion, rather than the fashion wearing them. Zendaya darkens her look with furrowed brows and a Maleficent-Angelina-Jolie stance, very eery and contrasting with the floral arrangement in look 2. Zendaya absolutely nails the brief each Met Gala, she works hard all year round. She is graceful, humble, brillant and an artist. She's my favourite 11/1o. 

ELLE FANNING

 Elle Fanning 

Fanning is an ethereal being through and through. She encapsulates the divine feminine with pale-Victorian features. You'll notice that she never fake-tans and always dons a natural makeup look and pale outfit. Fanning is wrapped in a glassy fabric almost a parallel for Alice & The Looking Glass. The glass flowers on her shoulders enhance the transparency of the look - very ice princess of her. Only she could pull this off, given that her whole identity is a damsel in distress. I do love it. Oh, to be skinny and dainty! 8.5/10

TYLA 

Tyla

Tyla presents 'the sands of time' through a clay-like/textured gown. Moulded to her body, she shows time fleeting quickly with an hour-glass handbag to match! I love the sculpture of this dress, it feels Greek and rich in femininity. I saw Balmain cutting the length off for the after-party and the mini-dress is even better! The craftsmanship is spectacular. She hones her features with a bronzed face and a spicy eyebrow slit. I would wear this to a tropical location if anyone invited me - just saying! 10/10

BARRY KEOUGHAN & SABRINA CARPENTER

Sabrina & Barry

I love to see men doing the most, especially when it comes to dress-up. Barry Keoughan comes through with the theme, showing the utmost masculinity as The Mad Hatter. It feels very Elizabethan/Victorian, I adore the neck-ribbon and top hat. Is the colour a hint to Carpenter's new single 'Espresso?' I think Carpenter & Keoughan compliment each-other's outfits nicely - very Alice In Wonderland. They looked stunning. I do wish Carpenter had accessorised more (give it some camp with a head-piece or an overlayed lace/textured torso. In the words of The Mat Hatter: "If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense." 8/10 

DOVE CAMERON & DAMIANO DAVID

Dove & Damiano

“It is very much an ode to nature and the emotional poetics of fashion" as noted by Andrew Bolton on the description of the theme. These two are made for a lustrous night in the leaves, a hidden kiss behind the hedge, and a rampant Bridgerton escapade. Sultry and innocent seem to parallel this year in the Met. Dove & her beau Damiano look poetic, syrupy, revealing and stunning! I love how they compliment each-other's look - almost like a Trelise Cooper floral/transparent dress. The symbolism is in the glorified flowers; they reveal themselves to the world, harshly. They bare their skin and show vulnerability and sexiness. I'm so enthralled by Daminao David's look. I love when a man goes all in for costume! Dove Cameron is an overgrown rosebush on a dewy autumnal morning. Obsessed. 11/10

KYLIE JENNER

Kylie Jenner

This dress is innocent, pearlescent, even nice. The pointy brassier gave the dress a subtle edge. If a woman in a garden has pointy nipples then I can infer some sexy hunk is there... or it's cold. It's not my favourite. It feels basic. The theme is so congruent with symbolism and metaphor and new beginnings, it needed more than Austin Powers/Fembot inspired tatas. The Ozempic is serving as an accessory though. 6.5/10

KENDALL JENNER

Kendall Jenner

I like this. This feels like a grungy Narnia character - the emo Ice Queen. The hair-do really pulls it together. The twisted plait and undone long hair reminds me of Game of Thrones. This dystopian/fantasy is cut and laced up in this fall-winter 1999 Givenchy archival dress. The theme hints at death and darkness; the slipping away of sanity. This look reveals the underground; the soil/roots of a garden. Kendall is our Phoenix and she rose from the ashes in this look. For once she got something right. 9/10 

Let me know who your favs were. This night is always monumental in showcasing classism and an extremely absurd life. On this day, Israeli Zionists attacked Rafah, Gaza. If I had all the money in the world, I would send it to The Red Cross working the ground in Palestine, to medical/rescue flights, to remaining hospitals and volunteer groups, to journalists and families who desperately need OUT of warfare. My beautiful friend Will is a global citizen and educated me on the current Palestinian genocide. It's confusing and it's hard to comprehend war in the 21st century. What we don't get taught in History is that the present is flooded with war/conflict. It's not in history books yet because the present is still being written. It's hard to know what to do, especially when on the other side of the world. I take this from the refreshed NZ Curriculum: Understand, Know, Do. That is the three part system for action. 

Aroha nui x