This year’s Met was filled with glamorous gowns and a celebrity-packed guest list. The Met Gala is renowned for its themes and exhibits. This year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” promised to transport guests into a dreamlike world where fashion history and modern ideas crossed. The exhibit featured a mesmerizing display of couture dresses, each telling its story. As guests mingled the mesmerizing surroundings of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, they were treated to an experience unlike any other. From elaborately embroidered gowns to avant-garde creations that pushed the boundaries of design, every inch of the exhibition creamed creativity and elegance.

While Blake Lively’s, called Queen of the Met by enthusiastic fans, absence left a noticeable void, Mona Patel’s presence almost made up for it. Mona is known for her unwavering dedication to philanthropy and social impact. She wore a rosè gown with moving butterflies decorating her arms. The gown featured sparkling gold accents styled by the infamous Law Roach. He also styled one of this year’s co-hosts, Zendeya, who debuted her night with a blue dress by Maison Margiela’s John Galliano is reminiscent of a peacock with a beautiful headpiece by Stephen Jones for Margiela; later on in the evening, she appeared on the carpet again in a vintage black Givenchy gown with a beautiful floral headpiece, this look was one of the viewers’ favorites. Junior Hayden Powers said, “I loved both of Zendaya’s looks.” Another memorable look is Lewis Hamilton, who wore a black Burberry suit and a black Burberry knee-length jacket embroidered with flowers. On the inside, the poem The Gardener by Alex Wharton was stitched. The theme of this look is supposed to honor the first black gardener, John Ystumllyn,  in the UK. The theme is underlined with the gold thorn necklace; he is wearing Creed by Burberry with the addition of Briony Raymond jewels to show the oppression of people of color. Patel and Hamilton’s attendance served as a reminder of the Gala’s broader significance beyond fashion and celebrity.

However, some influencers did not very much get that message; the night turned unexpectedly when a controversial video surfaced, stirring up heated debates across social media platforms. Halybaly, an influencer tasked with filming behind-the-scenes moments of the Gala, ignited outrage with a snippet of audio that repeated the infamous words of Marie Antoinette: “Let them eat cake.” The controversy surrounding this clip led to many online blocking celebrities because of their ignorance of the suffering people worldwide. Despite the controversy, the Met Gala will continue in the future.