This year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” may not be exactly what you think.

If the first Monday of May is basically your Super Bowl, we have some very exciting news for you. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute announced the theme of the Met Gala 2024: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”

Naturally, social media immediately began speculating about what exactly this seemingly vague theme could represent — and if attendees will actually stick to the theme. Contrary to some people’s interpretations of the title, the 2024 gala isn’t about the classic Disney fairytale or Beyoncé’s “Cozy” Renaissance Tour costume.

So what does the “Sleeping Beauties” theme mean? Here are all the details on the Met Gala 2024 so far.

What is the Met Gala 2024 theme?

As always, the Met Gala will be a celebration of the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, which acts as the foundation for the fashion event’s dress code.

According to Vogue, approximately 250 pieces spanning over a 400-year history — including at least 15 archival items deemed too fragile ever to be worn again — will be on display during the exhibit’s run in New York City from May 10 to September 2, 2024. These exceptionally rare garments are the “sleeping beauties” of the Costume Institute’s collection.

With a focus on sustainability, the exhibit will be categorized into three zones: land, sea, and sky. Each of these will include garments comprised of materials that can be traced back to their respective category, with the aim of highlighting the relationship between fashion and the environment.

One example of the kinds of designs that the exhibit will showcase is the iconic 2011 Alexander McQueen butterfly dress which was part of former creative director Sarah Burton’s first collection for the fashion house. The hourglass dress is fully embellished with meticulously crafted artificial butterflies and is said to represent the promise of “transformative renewal.” It’s an exceptional piece that has rarely been worn beyond the runway, aside from when Elizabeth Banks donned it for her portrayal of the fashion-forward Effie Trinket in The Hunger Games. 

 

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The collection will also consist of original pieces from designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Hubert de Givenchy — whose work will surely act as inspiration for the looks we’re bound to see at the annual gala.

On the importance of this year’s exhibit, Andrew Bolton, head curator of The Costume Institute, said, “Fashion is one of the most emotional artistic forms because of its connection to the body. It is imbued with memory and emotions, and we relate to it very much via our senses. One thing I hope this show will activate is that sensorial appreciation of fashion.”

When is the 2024 Met Gala?

The 2024 Met Gala will fall on Monday, May 6. As usual, it will be held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, with its star-studded red carpet taking place on the museum’s iconic front steps.

Who is attending the 2024 Met Gala?

The exclusive event’s guest list is never revealed before the gala, but we expect to see many familiar celebrity faces on next year’s red carpet. Several members of the Kardashian family typically attend the big night and fan favourites like Rihanna, Zendaya and Blake Lively often grace the museum’s steps as well.

In the months leading up to the big night, more information about who’s co-hosting the gala and red carpet will likely be revealed.

What were past Met Gala themes?

The 2023 Met Gala was held in honour of late designer Karl Lagerfeld with the theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” Despite Lagerfeld’s controversial legacy, looks from the evening’s gala celebrated his decades of work at iconic fashion houses including Chanel, Fendi and Chloé.

Standouts from last year’s event included Dua Lipa, co-chair of the 2023 gala, who wore an elegant vintage Chanel tweed ballgown famously first worn by Claudia Schiffer on the runway in 1992. In addition to the variety of throwback Chanel and Chloé looks that graced the gala’s carpet, some stars opted for a more literal interpretation of Lagerfeld’s legacy. This included Doja Cat’s fully feline-inspired ensemble, which was meant to represent Lagerfeld’s beloved pet, Choupette.

The theme of the 2022 Met Gala was “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” which provided lots of “gilded glamour,” star-studded opulence.

Fashion fans will surely remember Kim Kardashian borrowing Marilyn Monroe’s famous “Happy Birthday Mr. President” dress for the evening and Blake Lively, who wore a transformative Statue of Liberty-inspired gown.

Between the years of history the annual gala holds and the exciting nature of this year’s theme, we’re sure that the 2023 Met Gala will be another big night for the fashion industry — and we’ll be keeping up with all the details until the first Monday in May 2024.