Zendaya Stuns at 2024 Met Gala with Two Iconic Looks
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As the anticipation mounted in the hours leading up to the 2024 Met Gala, speculation swirled about which designer Zendaya would choose to adorn herself with. With various dresses being considered until almost the last moment, Zendaya’s ultimate choice was a custom haute couture look from Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano, as well as a surprise archival look – also by Galliano.
Prior to the star of “Challengers” and co-chair of the Met Gala gracing the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, rumors were ablaze about her potential attire. Several dresses were touted as contenders, underscoring Zendaya’s influence in the fashion industry. Her first choice indeed reflected Galliano’s blend of 19th-century romance and modernity, subtly evoking the gala’s theme, “The Garden of Time.”
The emerald green and electric blue dress, crafted from organza and lamé in sage tones, featured a Duchess satin corset intricately adorned with hand-painted metallic details, layered aluminum and iridescent organza drapes and bows, and finished with hand-embroidered corsetry.
Completing the ensemble was a hat crafted by legendary milliner Stephen Jones for Maison Margiela, adorned with a hand-painted veil and embellished stockings, while Zendaya’s customized Tabi shoes were by Christian Louboutin for Maison Margiela. Later that evening, Zendaya made a second surprise appearance on the red carpet, this time in one of the other dresses that had been speculated as potential contenders for the Met Gala. This subsequent look hailed from John Galliano’s debut haute couture collection for Givenchy in January 1996 and was sourced from Lily et Cie, the renowned Beverly Hills boutique cherished among style aficionados for its museum-quality vintage fashion.
According to Rita Watnick, the founder of Lily et Cie, Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, visited the store in March, shortly before the Oscars, hinting at the possibility of procuring an outfit. Three weeks before the Met Gala, Roach returned, this time with Zendaya, who instantly gravitated towards the Galliano dress from 1996.
The significance of the dress, its history, and provenance added to its allure. Practically unseen since its runway debut, this silk Galliano creation, worn by Veronica Webb and Nadja Auermann, spoke volumes about the era it hailed from and Galliano’s vision for Givenchy. Notably, Zendaya’s dress was not borrowed or gifted but purchased outright, reflecting a departure from traditional red carpet practices. The second dress was also complemented by a vintage Alexander McQueen hat and Bulgari jewelry, further elevating Zendaya’s iconic looks for the evening.
In essence, Zendaya’s choices for the Met Gala encapsulated the theme of “The Garden of Time” while also celebrating the revival of fashion’s most delicate archival pieces, a sentiment echoed by the curator of the Met Museum Costume Institute, Andrew Bolton. With the gala’s theme inspired by J.G. Ballard’s eponymous tale and the exhibition “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” Zendaya’s ensembles perfectly embodied the essence of timelessness and natural beauty amidst the ever-evolving landscape of fashion.
