NEW YORK - The 2024 Met Gala theme draws inspiration from the timeless fable, "Sleeping Beauty."
What is the Met Gala theme this year?
The theme for this year's Met Gala is based on the latest exhibition by the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, titled "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion."
"When an item of clothing becomes part of our collection, its purpose transforms forever. What was once an integral part of someone's life story now exists as a static 'artwork' that can no longer be worn or experienced in its original form. The exhibition seeks to revive these artworks by rekindling their sensory potential through a variety of technologies, granting visitors sensory 'access' to rare historical garments and exclusive contemporary fashions," explained curator Andrew Bolton. "By engaging with a wide range of human senses, the exhibition aims to reconnect with the displayed pieces in their original essence—with vitality, with movement, and ultimately with life."
This year's theme is complemented by a dress code entitled "The Garden of Time."
The Met Gala's dress code is usually quite loosely interpreted by guests, and is used as a jumping off point for outfits, making for some memorable red carpet moments.
What exhibition is the 2024 Met Gala theme celebrating?
"Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" is the exhibit the Met Gala will be celebrating.
The story behind the exhibit's name has to do with the garments that will be on display. Roughly 250 garments will be shown from the Costume Institute's collection of 33,000 pieces. Many of the ones that will be on display are typically never shown. Some are said to be too fragile to hang, for fear of them falling apart.
Instead, they will lie in glass cases, like the fabled Sleeping Beauty.
"The Met's innovative spring 2024 Costume Institute exhibition will push the boundaries of our imagination and invite us to experience the multisensory facets of a garment, many of which get lost when entering a museum collection as an object. 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," Met Museum Director Max Hollein said.
The Connection Between "The Garden of Time" and Sleeping Beauty
While "Sleeping Beauty" is a well-known fairy tale about a princess who is awakened by true love's kiss, "The Garden of Time" by J.G. Ballard offers a different narrative. The short story follows a couple in a beautiful home facing impending destruction by a mob. In their garden, time flowers have the power to send the mob back in time when plucked, delaying the inevitable.
However, as the garden stops producing new flowers, the couple's fate becomes sealed, mirroring the fragility of life and the passage of time. This juxtaposition of themes will be brought to life in an upcoming exhibition at the Met, designed to engage all senses.
The exhibition will feature galleries themed around the natural world, including interactive elements like animated snakes on the floors and bird projections on the ceilings. Additionally, visitors will encounter 'sleeping beauties' - delicate garments displayed in glass 'coffins' to showcase their deterioration over time, inviting a closer examination.
Exploring the Evolution of Met Gala Themes
Throughout the years, the Met Gala has showcased a variety of captivating themes. The previous year's theme paid tribute to the iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
In 2021 and 2022, the focus shifted to "In America," offering a retrospective on the evolution of American fashion.
The 2020 event was postponed due to the global pandemic, with its theme centered around "About Time: Fashion and Duration."
Back in 2019, attendees embraced the theme of "Camp: Notes on Fashion," showcasing their extravagant and theatrical styles.
This year's Met Gala is set to take place on Monday night in New York City. Tune in to CBS New York's special coverage streaming at 8 p.m.
