As the vibrant floodlights targeted the opulence on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s carpet, the cast and creator of the cinematic landmark “Challengers” brought a spectacle of style to the Met Gala 2024. Arriving at the pinnacle of fashion and culture, Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, alongside director Luca Guadagnino, captured the essence of the Gala’s theme, “The Garden of Time,” through their sartorial choices, blending the realms of film and fashion into an unforgettable visual narrative.
Zendaya, acclaimed for her role in “Dune: Part Two” and serving as a Met Gala co-chair, showcased a dazzling dichotomy of ensembles crafted by her long-term stylist Law Roach. Early in the evening, she debuted a Maison Margiela Artisanal gown embellished with stripes of emerald and royal blue, a fitting complement to a netted fascinator festooned with tulle and feathers. Later, in a ceremony often likened to fashion’s own theater, the actress made a stunning re-entrance, draped in a black, corseted masterpiece of the Givenchy by Galliano era, capped off with a viral moment on the Met steps and a whimsical, floral-themed fascinator by Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen.
Adjacent to the “Euphoria” star, co-stars Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist translated their steamy on-screen dynamic into a fashion statement that had the internet in a frenzy. The pair, caught up in a torrid triangle in “Challengers,” exuded competitive elegance in bespoke Loewe. Their ensembles were a tribute to the film’s fashion-forward ethos and gave a subtle nod to Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s creative director, who leaves a distinct imprint on the film’s visual identity.
O’Connor was a vision in progressive menswear, donning an avant-garde suit complete with a tail train and an arresting bow-tie brooch from the Loewe x Lynda Benglis collection, while Faist’s choice of a radish brooch certainly echoed Loewe’s fall 2024 line featuring vegetable garden prints. The communal style language among the cast members points to the meaningful collaboration with Anderson, which extends well beyond the silver screen and into their public appearances.
Their presence at the Gala — an event that has evolved into something beyond a mere display of fashion but rather a celebration of cultural interplay — was fitting. Each outfit worn by the ensemble was a testament to the narrative they had built in front of the camera, carried with an equal measure of grace and storytelling on the red carpet.
The connectivity between cinema and fashion was further accentuated by the attendance of other familiar faces in Loewe designs, such as Omar Apollo, Greta Lee, Dan Levy, Jonathan Bailey, Ayo Edebiri, Greta Gerwig, and Taylor Russell. They all reflected the extent of Anderson’s influence, which could not be mistaken within the Gala’s walls.
Guadagnino, who has steered “Challengers” to its status as his top-grossing domestic film, eclipsing even that of the tender “Call Me By Your Name,” embraced this intersection between fashion and his latest narrative. Infusing conversations about his film with reflections on his character’s predilection for churros, he playfully advised caution, hinting at the lighter side of the now-famed film’s allure.
As the night unfolded, attendees and enthusiasts alike could not only witness but also feel the palpable bond between the silver screen and the fashion runways within the confines of the Met Gala. While Guadagnino remains hesitant about a sequel to “Challengers,” the fashion choices of its stars on this high-profile evening made a strong case for the perpetual resonance of the original — a story that, like a well-designed garment, both reveals and conceals, forever inviting a deeper look.
