The 2024 Met Gala took place last night, and with nods to the natural world and the passage of time, there were some beautiful takes on the theme with guests interpreting 'The Garden of Time' in a whole host of ways. For Paloma Elsesser, who attended with H&M, it was all about finding inspiration in the city, particularly in famous monuments and classical statues, as well as looking at how the idea of beauty has changed over time.
The model wore a custom two-piece with the top comprising of a made-to-measure metallic bodice that was 3D-printed and electroformed in an oxidised green colour, nodding to the way monuments and statues change over time. It was then embellished with 3D-printed calla lily flowers, and paired with a Champagne-coloured silk taffeta skirt with a bubble hem, which she wore low on the hips.
Elsesser worked closely with the design team at H&M to create the bespoke creation, wanting to put together something that not only nodded to the Met Gala theme, but felt like something new for her personal style.
We caught up with the model right before she hit the red carpet, where she opened up about her look, and what she loves about attending the iconic event.
Can you tell us about your look at this year’s Met Gala? What was the inspiration behind the design and how did you want to nod towards the theme?
"My first step when I’m figuring out a look is to determine how I want to feel, and this year I really wanted to feel like I was making a departure from my looks of the past few years. I thought a lot about the evolution of beauty over time as well as different cities that I’ve been in recently, particularly related to monuments. So many classical statues represent a certain body type that is timeless but not as present today, so I wanted to lean into that, and transform myself and my body into a monument in my own way."
When did the process for this begin, and how involved do you tend to be with the styling process around events like this?
"The process always takes a bit of time from start to finish, and I worked super closely with [my stylist] Carlos [Nazario] and H&M to help bring this vision to life. I like to have a pretty heavy hand in the process because not only am I representing the amazing brand and people involved in creating the look, but I also need to feel comfortable and feel my best at the end of the day. I feel so grateful to work with an incredibly thoughtful team that I have long standing relationships with because they make the process seamless and so collaborative."
Can you tell us about your hair and make-up for the evening, and how you are incorporating that into the look?
"I think an element of the theme and something we wanted to channel in our look is the essence of humanity as well as subversion. For the hair and make-up, we wanted to go a bit more futuristic, while maintaining timelessness in the sense that it does not fit a certain time period. We wanted to play with old world and new world throughout the look and create that sort of dichotomy."
What are some of your favourite beauty hacks for these big events?
"My biggest beauty hack is honestly just rest. I really like to take my time getting ready and not feel rushed or stressed in any way on the day."
Why did you want to work with H&M on this project?
"Working with H&M felt like such a natural fit because I’ve worked with the brand since the beginning of my career on so many different campaigns, so it was the perfect next step in our relationship. I really just love everyone I’ve worked with at the brand."
Do you have a favourite Met Gala look from over the years?
"There are too many to name but I really loved Doja Cat’s cat look last year."
What do you love about attending the Met Gala?
"It’s such a special night all around, but I love just seeing everyone’s looks. It’s always an incredible spectrum of creativity."
Do you enjoy stepping out of your style comfort zone for these big red-carpet moments?
"I think that’s my main goal for events. I always want to create a character that I don’t always get to exist in in my own style, so I think that every detail plays into the character and feeling that I want to create."
Catch up on more of the best red-carpet moments from the 2024 Met Gala here.
