Met Gala predictions: The Garden of Time
A bonus newsletter because I realised this will be pointless to post tomorrow
The Met Gala is just an hour away from starting, but I loved this theme so much I wanted to write about it before the actual looks are on the carpet. The theme of the exhibition is “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” but the dress code is actually “The Garden of Time” which is based on the short story by J. G. Ballard. I wanted to do a short prediction newsletter but I couldn’t do it without reading the novella, and after reading it I’m even more excited to see the interpretations of the text soon!
My initial thoughts are that the text is quite an ironic choice for the Met as it is essentially a critique of the upper-class... So the story follows an elegant couple, Axel “a tall, imperious figure in a black velvet jacket, a gold tie-pin glinting below his George V beard, cane held stiffly in a white-gloved hand” and his wife who is described as “serene and intelligent, her hair, swept back behind her head into a jeweled clasp, touched with silver. [who] wore her dress low across her breasts, revealing a long slender neck and chin.”
The pair become infatuated with their garden of glass roses but once they pick them for their villa they begin to die, aware of their garden dying they continue doing so because of their beauty and glimmer. This greed however is what brings them to their end where they both turn into stone statues, contrasting with the softness and fragility of the garden. The title ‘The Garden of Time’ also alludes to the fact that wealth is ephemeral and is another reason for their ending.
But, the story is also a beautiful text which is basically made to for an artistic interpretation, so I’m excited how this will be done through fashion. The main imagery of the story were of course the “crystal flowers” and “translucent petals”. I’ve seen a lot of memes going round of The Devil Wears Prada quote “Florals? for spring? Groundbreaking.” Which is quite funny but also quite obvious that this will definitely be the main takeaway from the book.
So, since were about to see a lot of florals on the carpet soon, I’m just hoping that it’s a beautiful mixture of the delicate glass look through sheer and mesh fabrics and delicate petals rather than in-your-face floral patterns.
This Givenchy autumn 1997 look would be perfect for the carpet! The glass accents on the wig and the sheer dress with the flowers on the top and bottom lacing - ugh ! If we don’t see this one it will actually be a crime.
“A height of two metres, their slender stems, like rods of glass, bearing a dozen leaves, the once transparent fronds frosted by the fossilised veins. At the peak of each stem was the time flower, the size of a goblet, the opaque outer petals enclosing the crystal heart. Their diamond brilliance contained a thousand facets, the crystal seeming the drain the air of its light and motion.”
This quote is actually my favourite from the story, I feel like a lot of people will go into the direction of the ‘naked dress’ and opt for even softer petals, pearls, diamonds like this archival Mugler spring 1998 couture look or the Ashi summer 2023 couture dress. Or the complete opposite direction which screams to me Ziegfeld Girl (1941) in which Hedy Lamarr wears a soft draping gown which is decorated with stars everywhere.
I feel like I am leaning more towards this interpretation of the crystal flowers as I feel it embodies the description of the wife in the story, the looks should be “touched with silver” and feminine and delicate like the description of her dress which hung low on her body.
The story ends somberly, as the life in the flowers fleets, so does the wealth and the lives of the couple at the villa. The pair attempts to cling to the dying flower as they turn into “two stone statutes” stood side by side.
My initial thoughts prior to reading the story were strongly focused on the theme of the exhibition and the story of sleeping beauty, but I much prefer this one now after reading the story. If anyone does however take the theme literally I really hope there’s no pillows or oversize pyjamas on the red carpet. I would still love to see my initial interpretations like the Waterhouse inspired looks, mesh eyewear, insect eye masks which represent the reawakening of nature - little nod to both themes. And I’d love to see some archival Givenchy, Galliano and Christian Lacroix (and maybe even a sleeping beauty? (Zendaya as cinderella 2.0 sort of thing).
I’d love to see some crazy Vivienne Westwood looks like the corset and underwear combo, especially since micro shorts have actually become a trend(top right corner).
A combination of animal themed costume with a beautiful gown, an ode to sleeping beauty, her asleep in the book becoming at one with nature over time.
And of course, the Christian Dior Spring/Summer 1998, where the whole show is basically a romantic sleepover full of pearls, florals and lace! Literally one of my favourite shows ever so would love to see it. (bottom right corner)
It even has the piano and garden setting like in the story!
Finally, I would love to see some 17th century inspired silhouttes as they were rumoured to have been part of the theme for this year so I’m very excited for that. Galliano looks circa 2009 in the bottom right corner (and Galliano 1992 in the bottom left corner) I’d like to see the porcelain over-the-top, almost glass like makeup looks on the carpet which are actually v on theme with J. G. Ballard’s glass gardens. And, the Naomi Campbell look with the teddy bear and the lace veil on her head, just because it’s quite a fun literal take on the them - love!
If you managed to scroll this far down - thanks for reading and I hope you kinda see the vision I have there?
Hopefully there’s not going to be any boring colourful floral gowns (and the typical black tux’s) on the carpet!