The best outfits and beauty looks from the Met Gala 2024

The most anticipated event of the year has finally arrived. Last night the stairs and the green carpet -reminiscent of a fairy-tale meadow - filled with celebrities, ready to fight for the attention of flashes and cameras with their outfits: from Pamela Anderson in Oscar De La Renta to Damiano David and Dove Cameron who made their official debut as a hot couple in custom Diesel. The 2024 edition of the Met Gala, created to celebrate the new exhibition of the Costume Institute Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion which, through technology, brings back to life historical archive garments now too fragile to be worn, has provided us with a full immersion of fashion and beauty balanced between a gothic fairytale mood and bling-bling creations. As usual, every star decided to give a free interpretation of the dress code, The Garden of Time, a reference to the artificial and dystopian paradise of a short story by J.G. Ballard. Who best captured the meaning of the theme?

Zendaya is the best dressed of the Met Gala 2024

Why choose just one look when you could have two? Zendaya, co-chair of the Met Gala 2024, on the advice of stylist Law Roach delighted fans and fashion lovers with two stunning archive pieces, both designed by John Galliano, to whom the Met exhibition was initially intended to be dedicated. The star of Challengers made her first dramatic appearance in a Maison Margiela Artisanal in burnished sage lamé and iridescent organza, cut on the bias and worn with a duchesse satin corset with hand-painted natural motifs in electric blue and emerald green. The creation, reminiscent of a model from Christian Dior's SS 1999 couture collection, was adorned with blue and green grapes and a hummingbird on the shoulder, and completed with equally theatrical accessories such as the headpiece by Stephen Jones and custom Tabi heels by Christian Louboutin for Maison Margiela. Also stunning was the makeup that channeled all of Zendaya's dark feminine energy into a 1920s mood: thin eyebrows, cherry cola smokey eyes, vampy lips and deep burgundy glossy nails, along with honey blonde hair tied in an elegant messy chignon. Zendaya closed the green carpet with a magnificent black gown echoing the Victorian era, a piece from the 1996 Givenchy era of John Galliano characterized by a bustier and a huge skirt that almost swallowed the length of the Met's staircase. This time, the star opts for a no makeup makeup look. The attention is drawn solely by the large bouquet-themed hat designed by Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen in 2006.

Dark feminine energy looks

It wasn't just Zendaya embracing the gothic fairytale mood. Others followed the same inspiration: Nicole Kidman, elegant in her voluminous evening gown with black and white tiered skirt, a re-edition of a 1951 model by Cristobal Balenciaga; Rosalía in Dior; while Gwendoline Christie was divine in a custom creation by John Galliano of Maison Margiela, which included a blood orange silk velvet dress and an opera coat in black silk tulle with bands of black crinoline, Tabi heels with ankle strap, completed by decadent beauty, a tribute to Margiela's SS24. A triumph of black lace for Dua Lipa in Marc Jacobs, Penélope Cruz in Chanel, and Kendall Jenner in a FW 1999 look by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy Haute Couture. Lana Del Rey surprised everyone on the green carpet with a custom piece by Seán McGirr for Alexander McQueen, referencing an archive look from Alexander McQueen's FW 2006 collection: a corseted gown in silk, double georgette, and tulle, all hand-embroidered with hammered hawthorn branches in bronze ingots, inspired by Alberto Giacometti's sculptures, worn with a draped veil of natural hawthorn branches. The makeup? Brown smokey eyes and nude overlined and glossy lips. Equally fascinating was the beauty chosen by Emma Chamberlain to emphasize her Jean Paul Gaultier piece, reworking a lace corset in mocha color that Suzanne von Aichinger wore in the SS 2003 couture show. Makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan used Lancôme products on Emma: the deepest shades of Lancôme Hypnôse Palette in 02 Beige Brule on the eyes, Lancôme Le Lip Liner in n. 283 Amandelle and Lancôme L'Absolue Rouge Drama Matte in n. 510 Divine Idylle on the lips. The hair? A high chignon and wet with tendrils framing the face.

Ethereal vs bling-bling: Met Gala 2024 looks

A bit Disney, a bit glam Hollywood. Many celebrities opted for fairy, ethereal looks or, alternatively, for glows and crystals. Interesting and chic was Elle Fanning's ice queen mood in custom Balmain; Ariana Grande looked like a fairy with her custom Loewe and makeup created by Michael Anthony using REM Beauty products, including the interstellar illuminating topper in the shade miss mercury, the hypernova satin blush, and 3D details applied on the sides of the face evoking butterfly wings. Unexpectedly sober was Kylie Jenner's outfit, who, following a new minimal style, attended the event in a special silhouette Oscar de la Renta inspired by garden statues and a soft girl makeup warmed by blush matched with sleek updo with a rose among the locks. Eccentric and interesting was also Doja Cat's choice to wear a Vetements wet-look shirt dress and pair it with silver glitter tears streaming down her cheeks. Among the celebrities who preferred to sparkle on the red carpet were JLo in a custom nude dress with a silver effect and studded with sequins by Schiaparelli Haute Couture; Sarah Jessica Parker in Richard Quinn; Irina Shayk in a metallic mesh dress encrusted with 84,000 Swarovski crystals for which it took over 200 hours of work by 6 artisans for application. And Kim Kardashian? For her appearance at the 2024 MET Gala John Galliano, creative director of Maison Margiela, designed a haute couture look composed of a pale gray washed thistle cashmere cardigan, a brocade corset, and a silver metalwork skirt simulating cutout floral motifs. The beauty? Long bleached locks with natural texture, dark roots in sight, and soft makeup done by makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic and realized with SKKN BY KIM and Makeup by Mario products.

Floral looks

Given the dress code, we all expected to see many floral looks or ones inspired by nature, and we weren't disappointed. Although there were more and diverse. Gigi Hadid paid homage to Marilyn with her retro bob and fiery red lips completing the long off-the-shoulder corset dress to which she overlaid a white silk moiré coat with a duchess satin mantle adorned with 3D yellow roses. A look entirely handmade that required about 13,500 hours of work and a team of over 70 people. Nicki Minaj and Amanda Seyfried transformed into works of art, the former with the sculpture dress designed by Francesco Risso for Marni and the latter with her Prada from the SS 2009 collection, along with fuchsia lipstick and 1920s waves in metallic silver adorned with a tiara. Also, Amelia Gray in Undercover and Dove Cameron in Diesel were dramatic; Sydney Sweeney in Miu Miu debuted with a new hair look, a jet black bowl cut. Super cute also was Ayo Edebiri in Loewe with fresh and luminous makeup by Dana Delaney using Ilia products. Blush pink was a triumph for many celebrities at the Met Gala 2024.