Met Gala 2024: All the best looks from hosts Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth and Bad Bunny

It’s Met Gala day and you know what that means. All. The. Looks.

They came, they served and they conquered. The red carpet extravaganza has cemented itself as the glitziest event on the fashion calendar and the 450-ish guest list is carefully curated by the grande dame of Vogue, Anna Wintour, and features icons and hot young things from the worlds of Hollywood, music, sport and business.

The party itself is never broadcast but the red carpet arrivals are everything. Every year, Wintour picks a group of hosts who arrive first and welcome all the guests and this year, they were Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth and Bad Bunny.

In addition to Hemsworth, there was a strong Australian contingent with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Troye Sivan, Kylie Minogue, Elizabeth Debicki, Hugh Jackman, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin and exuberant businessman Anthony Pratt gracing the famous Met steps.

The official dress code for 2024 was “Garden in Time”, taken from a JG Ballard short story while the theme is “Sleeping Beauties: Awakening Fashion”, a reference to the ephemeral nature of fashion and clothing that are so delicate and fragile, they can’t be worn again.

Celebrities, their stylists and their chosen designers are free to interpret the instructions as they please. Some came adorned in flowers and garlands, both literal and abstract (Tessa Thompson carried a basket of blooms) while others saw it as a chance to throw on a vintage piece.

The designers that showed up frequently included Maison Margiela, worn by Zendaya and Kim Kardashian, Loewe, as seen on Greta Lee and Ariana Grande, Oscar de la Renta, Balenciaga and Prada.

At one point, Cardi B took over the red carpet with a voluminous black gown by Windowsen while actor Michael Shannon carried an unusual accessory, a bag of potato chips. Zendaya rolled out a second look with a John Galliano for Givenchy gown while newly minted couple singer Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan posed together.

A nearby pro-Palestinian protest resulted in a number of arrests but didn’t disrupt the event while a threatened strike by Conde Nast (the publisher of Vogue) employees was averted when a last-minute tentative deal was reached.

An annual event at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City since 1948, the Met Gala is a charity fundraiser to benefit its Costume Institute. Wintour first hosted it in 1995 but didn’t take over permanently until 1999.

See the pictures below:

Kim Kardashian loves a cinched waist and her vintage Maison Margiela dress goes for just that. But you probably never thought you’d see a grey cardigan at a Met Gala.

Nicole Kidman goes for striking black-and-white in Balenciaga Haute Couture, inspired by a 1951 Cristobal creation. It’s classic and impactful.

Zendaya’s second look - a John Galliano for Givenchy gown - brings the colour and blooms in the headpiece but we think her first one, a Maison Margiela one, had more drama.

Bad Bunny is serving it up with a hat that would win pride of place at any royal wedding.

Anthony Pratt loves a pop of colour and his distinctive fluoro pink coat certainly stands out.

A classic combo from Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky in coordinating neutrals. Not too adventurous but hot.

A power collective of Greta Gerwig, Sienna Miller, Chemena Kamali, Emma Mackey and Zoe Saldana in synchronised neutrals. It says underestimate them at your own peril.

Kylie Minogue threw on a simple but slinky Glenn Marten number for her first return to the Met Gala in a decade.

Brie Larsen’s sculptural Prada dress is meant to evoke the changing colours of a sunset with its gorgeous pairing of copper and lavender. She’s making it work.

Serena Williams is sheathed in a dynamic gold gown from Balenciaga, perhaps to remind everyone that when it comes to winning, she reigns.

Kendall Jenner’s vampy dress comes from a Givenchy archives, an Alexander McQueen creation that was never shown on the runway. Jenner is the least bold member of the Kardashian/Jenner clan when it comes to fashion, but it also means she never misses.

You can always rely on Janelle Monae to bring an avant-garde flair to the Met Gala and when she wears it with as much confidence as she does, her playful and sexy look kills.

Penelope Cruz’s Chanel gown was created from parts of couture dresses from the 1940s and 1950s but it’s a bit of a dour and severe look.

Andrew Scott could wear anything and sizzle and this sleeveless blazer is perfectly formed for maximum flexing. The gold insect adornments are a nice touch.

Anna Wintour took the brief seriously with her floral long coat over an elegant ivory column dress by Loewe. Never one for too much flash, she nonetheless owns it.

Kylie Jenner’s Oscar de la Renta gown is giving vintage glamour gowns, channelling Marilyn but also a little bit cheeky and Madonna-ish with its pointed breast cups. A floral hair accessory ties it to the garden theme.

When most of the red carpet went for champagnes, blacks and neutrals, it’s a relief to see the likes of Nicki Minaj have more fun with colours and textures that pop. Her striking design is by Marni’s Francesco Risso.

If you’re a fashion influencer like Wisdom Kaye and you’re making your Met Gala debut, you better bring it. Be bold and be loud.

Michelle Williams teamed her romantic chiffon gown with a coquettish hemline and a pink pixie. Forever our favourite Dawson’s alumnus.

A peek-a-boo gown that reveals and hides, Emily Ratajkowski’s Versace gown is slinky and mesmerising. It’s exactly what you’d expect Em Rata to wear.

It’s wild to think that of all the years Pamela Anderson has been in the public eye, this was her first Met Gala ball. Now that she’s more confident in herself instead of someone else’s view of who she should be, Anderson can grace the red carpet in a fairytale Oscar de la Renta gown.

Gabrielle Union’s glittering Michael Kors look took 9500 hours to make and makes her look like an ethereal mermaid - and we don’t say that with any shade.

Elle Fanning had a different take on the trend of see-through dresses with this glassy Balenciaga creation. She’s already played Princess Aurora in Disney’s Maleficent but we think she could pull off Frozen Elsa with this icy look.

A few years back, Barry Keoghan’s velvet Burberry suit would’ve seen him called an extra from a Dickens production. But with men’s fashion bolder and more playful, and pairing it with the Oxford boots, it’s kind of working for him. Maybe the cravat could’ve been dialled back.

Mindy Kaling’s Gaurav Gupta dress is a sculptural vision that makes you think about floating off into a cloud. Ace.

Taylor Russell looks fierce in her mixed-media Loewe dress. The young actor is an ambassador for the brand.

Kieran Culkin always brings a little something extra to any appearance (remember his plea to his wife for another baby on Emmys stage?) and his colourful suit fits in with the theatrics we expect.

Is it Lana Del Rey or a witchy tree with sinister intent? The gown is from Alexander McQueen designer Sean McGirr who referenced the brand’s namesake’s 2006 collection. Del Rey loves a bit of drama.

Maria Sharapova is evoking her days on the circuit with this tennis ball-hued Prabal Gurung gown.

If there’s such a thing as a subtle Medusa look, then Alexandra Daddario was going for it with her snake headpiece to accessorise her lace Dior Haute Couture dress.

Is it Sarah Jessica Parker or is it Carrie Bradshaw? The Richard Quinn birdcage dress made of handcut lace over a frame looks like the kind of fashion forward design SJP’s most famous onscreen alter ego would’ve worn.

The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri plays it safe with a custom Loewe column halter dress that fully leans into the garden in time theme.

Another Loewe creation here, this time on Greta Lee who has been sporting the designer’s looks all throughout the recent awards season. She looks amazing.

The bedazzled, figure-hugging bombshell Daniel Roseberry gown is signature Jennifer Lopez. Gorgeous but not groundbreaking.

Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo mirror their onscreen counterparts of the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch with their palettes. Grande is in Loewe and Erivo is in Thom Browne.

Donald Glover is serving dapper gentleman in this clay-coloured Saint Laurent suit.

Sabrina Carpenter is going for a princess look in this Oscar de la Renta gown.

Queen Latifah adds a pop of yellow to her black Thom Browne outfit, looking fierce.

If anyone could get away with that giant flower pinned to his neck, it’s Jonathan Bailey in custom Loewe. He’s into it and we’re into it for him.

Lil Nas X’s Raul Lopez of Luar outfit is bedazzled with 50,000 Swarovski crystals to match his exuberant personality.

Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor could be back in The Ton and ready to be wooed in this soft, ethereal Beckham custom gown.

Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s Zac Posen for Gap denim gown was inspired by 1700s evening wear. The real genius touch was her complementary hair colour.

Rita Ora’s Tom Ford gown features a careful arrangement of beading over a nude-coloured body suit that gives the illusion of a naked dress. Taika Waititi may later regret the all-leather Marni suit inside the sure-to-be-heated party.

Doja Cat takes the “wet look” to extremes with her maxi-length t-shirt dress by Vetements. On anyone else, it would be ridiculous but Doja Cat is Doja Cat so she gets away with anything.

Sarah Paulson is a bubblegum pink present to be unwrapped in this bow-covered Prada dress, alongside Amanda Seyfried, Harris Dickinson and Damson Idris.

Riley Keough balances simple elegance on the bottom with bejewelled fun on top in Chanel.

Like her good friend Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts chose black-and-white Balenciaga.

Uma Thurman wanted to pay homage to the American Xerces Blue butterfly with her Tory Burch taffeta dress. Not everyone can pull off that colour but Uma can.

Adrien Brody may be pulling focus with his blonde locks and elaborate bird brooch but its Georgina Chapman’s dress, designed by her for her label Marchesa, that should have all the attention. It evokes a bioluminescent jellyfish and we mean that in the best way.

Jennie Kim from K-Pop group BlackPink went with a custom Alaia piece in one of the few looks that emphasised its bold colour.

Lily Gladstone went for understated elegance in her Gabriela Hearst dress with its hand-crafted stars, a detail the Oscar nominee said was a connection to her culture’s connection to the skies above.

Jeremy Strong and his wife were coordinated in ivory but the most fun detail is his suit is Loro Piana, which Succession fans might recognise as Kendall Roy’s favourite stealth wealth cashmere cap and hoodies designer.

Troye Sivan drew on the 2008 Prada collection for his Met Gala look, which works well on his svelte silhouette.

Demi Moore’s whole look started with the very extra Cartier necklace she’s wearing which led to the sculptural Harris Reed dress that was made out of vintage wallpaper. It’s dramatic but you wouldn’t want to stand next to those spikes.

You know what being the fiancee of Jeff Bezos gets you? An invite to the Met Gala. Lauren Sanchez’s Oscar de la Renta dress features a motif of shattered roses. Kind of boring.

Shakira’s Carolina Herrera gown features dramatic sleeves but the real reason it pops is the fire engine red in a sea of neutrals.

Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin are matching in sea green, as flamboyant as the pair’s films.

Gigi Hadid went for drama and presence with her Thom Browne satin gown adorned with yellow roses. It took 70 people and 13,500 hours to make it. Hope that goes into a museum somewhere.

Naomi Campbell is an icon but her turquoise fringed column Burberry dress is a tad underwhelming. Yes, it would look amazing at almost every other event, but at the Met Gala, it’s a bit nothing.

FKA Twigs’ Stella McCartney barely there ensemble is as bold as the shag carpet-esque coat on top.

Designer Harris Reed (who dressed Demi Moore) looks like she could be a saint in a Renaissance painting.

Designer Jordan Roth is a butterfly garden in a gown that defies description.