he Met Gala, an annual extravaganza held at The Metro-politan Museum of Art, is a celebration of fashion’s rich history, curated by industry experts. Beyond its reverence for the Costume Institute’s legacy, the Met Gala transforms into a dazzling runway where luminaries from music, film, fashion, and sports strut their sartorial mastery. This year, the gala embraced a thematic directive: The Garden of Time, drawing inspiration from J.G. Ballard’s 1962 tale. Concurrently, the exhibit, Sleeping Beauties: Reawak-ening Fashion, breathed life into the notion of fashion’s resurgence. Now, let’s uncover the highlights of the evening as we unveil the standout ensem-bles that graced the event, ans-wering the perennial question of whether attendees embraced the theme.

Anna Wintour

Vogue’s global editorial director and Chief Content Officer of Conde Nast since 2020, co-chair of the Met Gala, Anna Wintour turned heads in a bespoke floral ensemble by Loewe. The design drew inspiration from a 1944 evening cape crafted by designer Charles James. Crafted from wool and adorned with a silk satin shawl collar, the coat featured intricate floral motifs created with hand-dyed elements, tonal beading, and delicate pearl embroidery. Perfectly capturing the essence of the night’s theme, Anna Wintour stood out as one of the impeccably dressed attendees.

Zendaya

The Dune star has attended the annual Met Gala five times since her debut years ago. However, after five years, she decided to take a hiatus from fashion’s most memorable night, with her last attendance being in 2019.

Her comeback was highly anticipated, and she certainly did not disappoint, stealing the show at the 2024 edition of the event. Zendaya made it to every best-dressed list with not one, but two stunning looks. As she graced the red carpet, she stunned in an ocean-blue fishtail gown by John Galliano, perfectly aligning with the night’s theme while evoking elements of art-goth and nature’s blue oceans. Notably, the gown was a reimagining of a Galliano dress from his time at Dior years ago, signaling a revival of fashion’s past.

For her second look, Zendaya opted for a vintage Givenchy couture ball gown from the design house’s 1996 spring collection, also designed by John Galliano. This ensemble was accentuated by a headpiece artfully crafted with a bouquet of roses, designed by Philip Treacy for the late Alexander McQueen’s 2007 collection.

Bad Bunny

For his third consecutive year at the Costume Institute’s fashion exhibit at The Met in NYC, the Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny donned a bespoke creation by John Galliano for Maison Margiela’s Artisanal line.

Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky

Chris Hemsworth, renowned for his role as the former Avenger Thor, exuded elegance in a sophisticated cream-colored Tom Ford suit. Embracing a
hue that few men dare to
wear, Hemsworth challenged traditional expectations, earning admiration for his daring choice. While no stranger to the Met Gala, this year marked a significant first as he attended the Costume Institute’s exhi-bition alongside his wife, actor Elsa Pataky, adding a touch of Hollywood glamour to the prestigious event.

Alia Bhatt

Making her second appearance at The Met Gala, Alia Bhatt adorned a Sabyasachi Mukherjee sari featuring a remarkable 23-foot train. The sari was intricately detailed with hand-embroidered florals using silk floss, glass beading, and semi-precious gemstones. Crafted over 1,905 hours, with the expertise of 163 craftsmen and workers, the result was an exquisite masterpiece. Alia’s attire garnered admiration from fans and editors alike, both domestically and internationally, earning her a spot on nearly every best-dressed list.

Instep verdict: Out of all the co-chairs — Lead co-chair Anna Wintour, alongside co-chairs Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Zendaya, and Jennifer Lopez — Zendaya was the one who pushed boundaries. We do give Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth points for making an effort that resonated with the night’s theme. However, we feel totally let down and confused by Jennifer Lopez’s look. Maybe she tried her best, but it seemed as if she was dressed for an NFL Super Bowl performance or a music video with Pitbull. Let’s just call Zendaya the most fashionable artist who actually understood the idea behind this year’s event and leave out the rest. Period.