Sustainable Looks We Love From the 2024 Met Gala

Considering this year's Met Gala dress code, “Garden of Time,” we had high hopes that sustainable fashion might be an honored guest at fashion's biggest night out. Our big baddie brains expected that a theme partially dedicated to nature might inspire high fashion designers to incorporate materials and designs that honor the earth. We predicted re-purposed florals, earth tones, pastels, whimsy, vintage, archival, and maybe even a bit of bio-fabrication… but unsurprisingly, we saw none of the above. 

This year’s theme could have been the perfect opportunity to connect with sustainability and account for public sentiment. After all, art is meant to reflect the present. Instead, the circus of “fashion’s biggest night out” distracts us from events that truly deserve our attention. At a time when the people and the planet’s discontent with the ruling class are reaching their boiling point, this year’s Met Gala, and every other major American media event, rubbed salt in the wound. While Capitol citizens parade up the Met steps in their custom (single-use) haute couture, Rafah is relentlessly bombed by the IOF. 

While we were disappointed by the lack of sustainability, creativity, and Palestinian representation (not even the bare minimum of one tiny flag pin??) there are a few designers who stood by their dedication to sustainable and circular fashion and we’re happy to give them their flowers (pun intended) again this year. 

Looks:

1.Zendaya

For her second look of the night, Zendaya wore a vintage Givenchy gown from Spring 1996.

2. Alia Bhatt

Alia Bhatt wore a handmade sari by Sabyasachi. She told Vogue about its craftsmanship in collaboration with regional artisans from around India who are stewards of preserving local textile techniques. Last year, Alia Bhatt also showed out in a gown by susty designer Prabal Gurung and she’s known for re-wearing pieces, like her wedding sari! We love a #ReWearThat baddie! A sari is also an uncut fabric and can be draped to any body type at any time, highlighting the versatility and timelessness of this traditional garment as a sustainable and reusable fashion choice. 

3. Charli XCX 

Bushwick icon Charli XCX channeled pure punk and wore a Marni dress made from upcycled vintage t-shirts from the ’50s, ‘60s, and ’70s. 

4. Maleah Joi Moon

Broadway star Maleah Joi Moon made her Met Gala debut in a gown by susty designer Collina Strada. 

5. Amanda Seyfried

Our off-grid baddie Amanda Seyfried stunned in a Prada dress made of upcycled metallic fabric from their Spring 2009 RTW collection. Note to the others: you can do custom and still be susty.

6. Lily Gladstone

Lily Gladstone tailored her look to honor her ancestry. The Blackfeet actress wore a gown and cape designed by Gabriela Hearst and Kiowa jeweler Keri Ataumbi, embroidered with recycled silver stars and antique beads. 

7. Brooke Frischer

Journalists deserve to be recognized for serving cunt on the job. Fashionista.com reporter Brooke Frischer wore a dress by sustainable designer Caroline Zimbalist, which features Zimbalist’s nature-inspired sculptural bodices made from bioplastic!

Designers:

8. Wearing Tanner Fletcher 

Genderless brand Tanner Fletcher had a huge night. The Brooklyn-based emerging design duo uses new and pre-loved materials in their collections. This year, they dressed actor Jeremy Pope, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri, and the Broadway cast of The Wiz. 

9. Wearing Prabal Gurung

When watching the Met Gala, we always keep our eye out for Prabal Gurung. Gurung is a Nepalese designer whose design ethos emphasizes sustainability by using ethically sourced materials and sustainable production processes. This year, he dressed Maria Sharapova, Laufey, Demi Lovato, and Simone Ashley.

10. Wearing Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney is known for bringing sustainability to every major fashion event and devouring when she does it. At this year’s Met Gala, she dressed FKA Twigs, Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn, and Cara Delevigne in looks that featured sustainable lab-grown diamonds. McCartney told Vogue “We’re bringing sustainability, we’re bringing innovation” and she meant it (unlike when Karlie Kloss told us she was looking camp in the eye…).

What was your favorite sustainable Met Gala look?