Nobody shone as bright as Irina Shayk on the 2024 Met Gala red carpet. While we can’t deny the model’s radiance, she also got a little help from Swarovski.
In line with the recent sheer trend, Shayk wore a full-length dress made entirely of an invisible net of Swarovski crystals, crafted by six artisans over 200 hours. The scoop-neck tank dress was complete with a choker and stacks of bracelets on each wrist. “When I first saw the sketches, I was blown away by the level of intricacy,” Shayk says of the look, which was covered in 84,000 crystals by hand.
The Costume Institute’s exhibit, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” was divided into three subcategories: land, sea, and sky. Swarovski creative director Giovanna Engelbert took inspiration from the air for Shayk’s dress. “The timeless beauty of the clear crystal color and its luminous quality inspired an iconic look that perfectly mirrors the air’s delicate yet powerful essence,” Engelbert tells Vogue.
Engelbert was also particularly taken with a passage from J.G. Ballard’s “The Garden of Time”— which informed the evening’s dress code—that referred to the “crystal heart” of the flowers: “Their diamond brilliance contained a thousand facets, the crystal seeming to drain the air of its light and motion.”
The designer was thrilled to make the process a collaborative one. “Working with Irina was a joy and a lot of fun; her input at the first fitting shaped this look into a vision of strength, empowerment, sensuality, and undeniable glamour,” Engelbert says.
The 2024 Met Gala marked Shayk’s eighth time attending. Her first appearance was in 2015 for “China: Through the Looking Glass,” where she wore a body-hugging asymmetrical embroidered Versace dress. Since then, she’s been one to watch. In 2022 she returned to Versace for an all-black leather suit with silver hardware, while in 2021 she elevated the Adam and Eve look in a nude Moschino number with strategically placed floral appliqués.
Last year was arguably her boldest yet, paying homage to Karl Lagerfeld in a white Yohji Yamamoto gown embellished with twisted ropes of fabric and rosettes, and accessorized with white flats. (She made an equally daring statement at the after-party, to which she wore sweatpants.)
For a Met Gala veteran such as Shayk, each year holds a special place in her heart. But no matter how many times she attends, she always gets the same feeling: “It’s such a surreal experience and complete adrenaline rush.”
Below, Irina Shayk took us behind the scenes as she got ready for the 2024 Met Gala.
See All of the Celebrity Looks From the Met Gala 2024 Red Carpet:
Met Gala 2024: See Every Celebrity Arrival, Read the Latest Stories, and Get Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Access Here
