Met Gala Exhibit Offers Multi-Sensory Fashion Experience

This image released by The Metropolitan Museum of Art shows an Alexander McQueen dress. McQueen is one of many designers whose work will be included in The Costume Institute's 2024 exhibition, "Sleepi

A groundbreaking new fashion exhibit is set to captivate visitors at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, offering a multi-sensory experience that goes beyond traditional visual displays. Titled 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,' the exhibit will feature 250 carefully selected garments from the institute's archive, some of which are so delicate that they will be showcased lying in glass coffins, reminiscent of the iconic fairy tale character.

Opening to the public on May 10, the exhibit will be unveiled at the star-studded Met Gala on May 6, hosted by a lineup of celebrities. The dress code for the gala, themed 'The Garden of Time,' promises a creative array of garden-inspired ensembles, with one standout piece being a living garden coat designed by LOEWE.

Organized around themes of earth, air, water, and the senses, 'Sleeping Beauties' will offer visitors a unique olfactory experience, with scents curated to reflect the history and essence of each garment. The exhibit will also feature garments that create sound, such as an embroidered gown by Alexander McQueen adorned with dried razor clams, whose movements have been captured and recorded for visitors to hear.

250 garments showcased in glass coffins

Met Gala on May 6 to unveil exhibit

Theme 'The Garden of Time' for gala

In a bid to engage the sense of touch, the exhibit will utilize 3D scanning technology to recreate the intricate embroidery of historical garments on wallpaper, allowing visitors to feel the textures and details with their hands. Additionally, animations will enhance the viewing experience by revealing hidden details of the garments that are not visible to the naked eye.

Curator Andrew Bolton describes 'Sleeping Beauties' as one of the most ambitious shows ever attempted by the Costume Institute, showcasing a selection of garments chosen from the museum's extensive archive. He envisions a future where new technologies will enable the capture of sounds and scents of garments before they become museum pieces, preserving their essence in a living form.

'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' is scheduled to run from May 10 to September 2, 2024, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in a sensory journey through the history and artistry of fashion.