Met Gala 2024 guidebook: What to know about fashion's biggest night, from the theme to the livestream

Are you red carpet ready? The 2024 Met Gala is just days away. Held annually at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the celebration of fearless fashion will spotlight A-list stars.

The guest list so far is hush-hush, but past celebrity attendees have included Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and Kim Kardashian. Zendaya is serving as co-chair alongside Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth, Bad Bunny and, of course, Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.

This year's theme is "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," reflecting the institute's new exhibition name, and the event dress code is "The Garden of Time." You can count on a bouquet of floral-inspired looks.

That said, some A-listers take creative liberties with the dress code. For the gala's Karl Lagerfeld theme in 2023, actor Jared Leto arrived in a full-on cat costume, honoring the designer's pet, Choupette, rather than dressing in the designer's creations for Chanel or Fendi.

Here's what to know before one of fashion's biggest events:

➡️ What is it? 

The Met Gala is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

A star-studded lineup of attendees will take to the event's famous staircase, showing off their curated couture looks. (Remember Blake Lively's outfit transformation?)

This year's guests will get to experience the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibition.

It promises a "multisensory" approach to fashion, using technology to evoke how the pieces "feel, move, sound, smell, and interact when being worn," according to Vogue.

🗓 When is it? 

The event, traditionally held the first Monday in May, is on May 6.

💻 Where to watch it? 

The red carpet livestream begins at 6 p.m. ET on Vogue.com, as well as its TikTok and YouTube accounts.

Hosts are actress Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), producer and actress La La Anthony (Think Like a Man) and model Ashley Graham. Social media influencer Emma Chamberlain is serving as special correspondent. Watch it here.

👗 What is this year's theme?

The theme is "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," and it promises less Disney and more centuries-old inspo from delicate gowns worn as far back as the 17th century.

🌸 What is this year's dress code? 

The official dress code is "The Garden of Time" and is inspired by the J.G. Ballard short story of the same name.

Published in 1962, the dystopian tale centers on a count and countess who live in a walled garden filled with botanicals of crystal and glass.

👥 Who are the co-chairs? 

The co-chairs for this year's event are Challengers star Zendaya, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga star Chris Hemsworth, rapper Bad Bunny, multihyphenate Jennifer Lopez and Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour.

Honorary chairs are Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson and TikTok CEO Shou Chew.

📉 By the numbers

A ticket to the Met Gala reportedly costs $50,000 per person, up from the $30,000 a seat cost in 2022.

The Met Gala raised nearly $22 million in 2023.

That famous Met staircase was designed by renowned architect Kevin Roche and added in 1975. It's reportedly 154 feet wide and 13.5 feet tall.

The Costume Institute has a collection of more than 33,000 objects, representing fashion from seven centuries.

💡 Test your knowledge

Think you know a thing or two about the Met Gala? Take our quiz and find out.