The 2024 Met Gala: An Interpretation of the Theme

Written & Researched by Zara Saladina 

Thierry Mugler, Haute Couture Autumn/Winter, 1997.

Sourced from artsy.net

The time has arrived for “fashion’s biggest night” to make its annual return. Shortly after the announcement of this year’s Costume Institute Exhibition theme “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”, the dress code for the prestigious Met Ball was revealed as “The Garden of Time”​ (Vogue, 2024)​​ (Klerk, 2024)​. The theme was lifted from J.G. Ballard’s short story of the same title, but what does the theme really mean to represent? 

We follow the story of Count Axel and his illustrious wife, who lives in an extravagant villa surrounded by a mystical garden, blooming with flowers that holds the power to reverse time. As a cruel, precarious army storms closer to the villa walls, Count Axel plucks a flower from his garden to watch it die as he buys himself a little more time to live in mundane excess. The story ends with Count Axel and his wife turning into stone while the army marches and destroys their once beautiful home, as the last of their time flowers dies with them​ (DOUCE, 2016)​​ (Garcia, 2024)​. 

At first blush, the interpretation behind this theme may not be blaringly obvious – in that case, we present two possible interpretations of this year’s theme. 

Alexander McQueen, Spring 2011 Ready- to-Wear Collection, 2011.

Sourced from Pinterest

In an article released by Harper’s Bazaar, a statement highlights the focus of sustainability in fashion​(Klerk, 2024)​. A completely fair assessment if we refer to the theme of “Reawakening Fashion” and the possible allegory hinted in “The Garden of Time”. The two main characters could represent the exploitation of nature by humans, through the literal imagery of deforestation. The slowly fleeting loss of the family’s time flowers, demonstrates the current irreversible, and debatably unnecessary, harm we cause to our environment, in efforts to fuel our everyday activities. Hence why, this year’s collection may instead be focused on moving towards a sustainable future through reworking and showcasing existing fashion pieces, illuminating the beauty in nature that already surrounds us.  

Iris Van Herpen, Fall 2022 “Meta Morphism” Collection

Sourced from Iris Van Herpen

Aside from that, in an alternative press release published by the Met, a statement reads “the show will explore cyclical themes of rebirth and renewal, breathing new life into these storied objects”​ (DOUCE, 2016)​. In “The Garden of Time”, there is an underlying theme of the cyclical nature of time, exploring the concept of history repeating itself as seen through the recurring patterns of behaviours observed by the characters. The theme could possibly aim to discover the importance of referring to our pasts or deconstructing current natures in the process of creation and human evolution. Take for example a designer such as Iris Van Herpen, who’s collections are primarily inspired by the deconstruction of micro-organisms or even the current resurgence of the y2k trend.

Like the events in “The Garden of Time”, the theme aims to show how things are meant to be broken or re-processed for the world to rebuild and grow. Perhaps, the dress code of this year’s ball isn’t merely just a comment on the beauty of nature, but instead a deeper introspection in embracing the cyclical nature of life and changes in the process of creation.