Irish design flourished at last year's Met Gala with the likes of Loewe, Philip Treacy and Simone Rocha all favourites amongst the event's A-list attendees.
The first Monday in May is nearly upon us once again, when the who’s who of the celebrity, fashion and art world descend upon the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for one of the year’s most highly anticipated events – the Met Gala.
Last year’s theme was Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, with a Garden Of Time dress code and impressively, it was Irish design that dominated on the red mossy green carpet. From Loewe’s bus full of impeccably dressed stars to SJP in Richard Quinn and Philip Treacy, let’s reflect on some of our favourite Irish looks from last year’s fashion Oscars as we impatiently await 2025’s offering.
Loewe by Jonathan Anderson
Originally from Magherafelt in Northern Ireland, Jonathan Anderson is the former creative director at Loewe and the next artistic director of Dior Men. An undeniable talent with an eye for design, he was a firm favourite at last year’s event with no less than 16 famous faces arriving in one of his creations – including Anna Wintour, Jamie Dornan and honorary Irishwoman, Ayo Edebiri.
Ariana Grande returned to the Met Gala for the first time in six years, in a bespoke moulded bustier in leather and mother-of-pearl – paired with a multi-layered pleated silk chiffon skirt, hand-painted to mimic the surface of an iridescent shell.
Past Lives actor Greta Lee, a global Loewe ambassador, also wowed in a column dress based off of pieces from the SS 2023 women’s collection. “I was so struck by this thing that Loewe and Jonathan does like no one else,” she told Vogue of the process of choosing her dress. “It’s this incredible sculptural shape, that somehow has this contrast between really strong and also very soft and vulnerable and feminine.”
Richard Quinn and Philip Treacy
From Lyric FM to buttery spuds, it’s no secret that Sarah Jessica Parker is a fan of all things Ireland. Often spotted pottering around Donegal when she’s holidaying there, her love for the Emerald Isle also extends to local design and last year, SJP opted for an extravagant bird-shaped Richard Quinn number with a towering headpiece by Irish milliner Philip Treacy.
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For her second outfit of the night, style queen Zendaya (who never puts a foot wrong) also accessorised her haute-couture gown with an incredible flower headpiece by Treacy… 10/10, no notes.
Simone Rocha
Both Eve Hewson and Jonathan Groff wore Simone Rocha to the 2024 Met Gala. Hewson brought the coquette aesthetic to the next level, walking the carpet in a nude, tulle-encased corseted dress with hand-embellished crystal daisy detailing inspired by the Simone Rocha AW 2024 collection.
Groff, on the other hand, chose a Venetian wool classic blazer with blood crystal turbo embellishment and Venetian wool straight-leg trousers. Very dapper.
Alexander McQueen by Seán McGirr
Announced as Sarah Burton’s successor in McQueen, Irish-born, London-based Seán McGirr has been thriving in his new role as creative director of the renowned fashion house, dressing both Lana Del Rey and Usher for the 2024 Met Gala.
Unlike some attendees (*cough cough, Kylie Jenner*), singer Lana really had some fun with the theme, wearing a darkly romantic sheath gown with accompanying veil and hammered bronze-bullion hawthorn branches, inspired by the sculptures of Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. “I guess it was the idea of mother nature, but the slightly more sinister aspects,” explained McGirr of the concept behind the design. The spiked branches also reference the Grimm brothers’ Sleeping Beauty story and its princess, Briar Rose.
Meanwhile, Usher kept it simple in an all-black ensemble featuring jet stone embroidery and red-dipped rose appliqué detail.
Other Irish attendees on the night included Glamour editor-in-chief Samantha Barry (who wore The Atelier), Andrew Scott (who wore Versace) and of course, Barry Keoghan (who wore a three-piece velvet Burberry suit).
Collage made by IMAGE. Imagery sourced on Instagram via @donatella_versace, @simonerocha, @sculptedbyaimee, @burberry
