Everything to Know About the 2024 Met Gala Theme
Written by TFN Writer: Halena Laven
The ever elusive and ever enticing Met Gala has officially released the 2024 theme which is “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” Not to be confused with the beloved princess, this Met theme is all about the iconic and historic garments that have been worn over the past 400 years. This theme is a tribute not only to the past fashion masterpieces but all the great designers that have contributed to the fashion world we know today. To start off on the right foot, I will first share what “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” means. This year, the Met will dedicate the exhibit to 250 of the most exclusive and historic gowns and garments at the Costume Institute exhibition of The Met. The theme is a play on words as it means to awaken some of the old garments that cannot be worn again due to age or distress, instead the Costume Institute is honoring them through visual, audio, and other sensory special effects throughout the exhibit. The exhibit will include garments designed by Dior, Schaperelli, Givenchy and a Charles Fredrick Worth from 1877.
While this theme proves to be a very exciting one for the Met Gala watchers it does not come without a little backlash. In 2022 Kim Kardashian wore the famous Marilyn Monroe ‘Happy Birthday Mr. President’ dress, she was heavily criticized for wearing it because some patrons of fashion believed that she was ruining or defaming the dress by bringing it back into the public eye. This year's theme touches heavily on the importance of taking care of the historic dresses and gowns throughout history which could be taken as a warning for Miss Kim to keep away from other previously worn dresses.
Another important detail about “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” is that it goes deeper than just taking old pieces out of storage. This theme gives these garments another chance to be cherished. Having gowns dating back 400 years it could be easy for some historic moments to be forgotten. Reawakening fashion and the idea of these garments being “Sleeping Beauties” is a perfect metaphor for what this exhibit will be in 2024. I, for one, believe it is one of the better ideas The Metropolitan Museum of Art has had. It touches on the importance of remembering our past and honoring the brilliant creations designers have made. It is also a theme that I believe leaves brands to do some soul searching on. Reinventing old trends or designs could be just what some brands need to help keep their brand afloat. Having the chance to revisit the “greatest hits” of a brand could spark the next great idea. Revitalization and recognition is what we can expect from the Met Gala exhibit but what we still don’t know is what to expect from the attendees. Hopefully we can anticipate looks that honor the designers of the past and present and give us another reason to fall in love with fashion.
“Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” is sure to be an exhibit that excites and inspires all who observe it. While we are far from the opening day I can feel the Met Gala buzz starting to fizzle through the lives of all who care about fashion and I believe it is safe to say we cannot wait to see what is in store for us on that fateful first Monday of May.
Work Cited
Wilson, R. (2023). WAKE UP BABE: THE 2024 MET GALA THEME JUST DROPPED. Photobook. https://www.photobookmagazine.com/features/wake-up-babe-the-2024-met-gala-theme-just-dropped#:~:text=The%202024%20Met%20Gala%20theme%20has%20been%20announced%20and%20has,is%20a%20bit%20more%20abstract.
Author, V. (2023). Everything to Know About the 2024 Met Gala: Theme, Hosts, and More. https://www.vogue.com/article/everything-to-know-met-gala