Why wearing vintage is the ultimate red carpet flex – as demonstrated at the Met Gala 2024

‘Pre-loved’ was the theme for some of the most anticipated Met Gala arrivals, including Zendaya and Kendall Jenner…

It was always going to be a great night for vintage fashion with the theme of the Met Gala this year being “The Garden of Time”, inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story of the same name. It also marked the opening of the Costume Insтιтution’s spring 2024 exhibit, enтιтled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. Open to the public this Friday, the exhibition in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art centres around 250 garments and accessories that span over four decades of history, making them too delicate and fragile to ever be worn again.

So it came as no surprise that many of fashion’s major houses decided to play on this theme, using both vintage and vintage-inspired creations, as well as upcycled and archival textiles, to dress some of our favourite A-listers on what has become fashion’s most revered night.

First up, all eyes were on Gala co-chair and actress of the moment, Zendaya, who stole the show with not one, but two incredible creations by John Galliano. Having taken a hiatus from the Met Gala carpet, this was her first comeback since 2019 when the Challengers star appeared as a modern-day Cinderella, complete with a light-up ball gown and a ‘forgotten’ glᴀss slipper on those now infamous MoMA steps.

Zendaya in vintage Givenchy

Zendaya’s second red carpet look was a true vintage look, again by Galliano but this time from the designer’s stint at Givenchy. The black off-shoulder creation, originally worn on the spring/summer 1996 couture runway, was given the floral treatment once paired with a rose covered headpiece by millinery master Philip Treacy. A piece originally designed for Alexander McQueen’s spring/summer 2006 runway.

Kendall Jenner in vintage Givenchy
Kendall Jenner at the Met Gala wearing vintage Givenchy by Alexander McQueen© Getty Images
Kendall Jenner at the 2024 Met Gala in vintage Givenchy by Alexander McQueen
Kendall Jenner stunned in two vintage pieces – both by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy – that were true works of art. The first piece was originally presented on a revolving mannequin for Givenchy autumn/winter 1999 couture, making Jenner the first person to ever wear one of these incredible archival pieces from the late Alexander McQueen.

Kendall Jenner in vintage Givenchy
Kendall Jenner wearing vintage Givenchy to the Met Gala after parties© Getty Images
Kendall Jenner wearing vintage Givenchy to the Met Gala after parties
Kendall’s second dress, also by the late British designer for Givenchy haute couture spring/summer 1997, gave us Claire Danes in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet vibes. With its white lamb leather corset, made to look like feathered wings, and its diaphanous silk satin chiffon waterfall skirt, the model and The Kardashians star looked positively angelic as she headed to a Met Gala after party.