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For fashion enthusiasts and celebrities alike, the Met Gala is an annual highlight that merges high fashion with art and culture on a grand scale. However, this year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” coupled with the dress code, “The Garden of Time,” stirred up some confusion and raised eyebrows. Anna Wintour, the iconic chief of Vogue magazine and a key figure in organizing the Gala addressed the ambiguity of the 2024 Met Gala and offered apologies.
Having presided over the Met Gala since 1995, Wintour is no stranger to the intricacies of event planning, especially when aligning themes and dress codes. However, as Wintour candidly admitted, even the most experienced organizers can sometimes unintentionally spark confusion.
In an interview with the “Today” show, Wintour acknowledged the potential pitfalls of the chosen theme. “‘Sleeping Beauties’... it’s wonderful and poetic and romantic, but actually, it could be many, many things,” she explained. The theme, inspired by the idea of fashion emerging from a slumber, seemed ripe for interpretation. Yet, the breadth of interpretation was underestimated.
Wintour recounted seeking guidance from Andrew Bolton, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute curator, regarding the dress code. However, suggesting “The Garden of Time” as the attire directive may have inadvertently added another layer of complexity. “I fear that we’ve unleashed a lot of confusion out there, and for which I deeply apologize,” Wintour stated, acknowledging the unintended consequences of the theme and dress code combination.
On May 6, the world saw the array of interpretations grace the green carpet. From ethereal floral ensembles to avant-garde interpretations of time itself, the looks varied. Wintour said she saw it coming; therefore, she anticipated seeing people adorned with flowers, a nod to the garden aspect of the dress code.
Amidst the confusion, there was a silver lining
The Met Gala has always been a platform for creativity and self-expression, where fashion becomes art and art becomes a conversation. While the theme may have sparked some head-scratching, it also offered an exciting opportunity for designers and attendees to showcase their imagination in ways that transcend conventional fashion norms.