Serena Williams made a stylish entrance at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the event themed “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” with the dress code “The Garden of Time.” She dazzled in a metallic golden gown by Balenciaga, perfectly capturing the essence of the theme. Completing her look, Williams adorned her hair with golden flowers and accessorized with rings, a watch, black opera-length gloves, sheer tights, and matching heels.
“Going for the gold,” Serena captioned her Instagram carousel, showcasing her stunning ensemble.
According to Vogue, Serena Williams collaborated with Balenciaga to create a dress inspired by a look from its 51st couture collection in 2022, drawing from the brand’s rich archives. The result was a true couture masterpiece, crafted with meticulous detail—taking 150 hours of pattern-making and constructed from 25 meters of gold foil-laminated taffeta sourced from Italy.
“It’s truly been an honor to collaborate with the talented Balenciaga team on such a memorable and glamorous piece,” Serena Williams expressed to Vogue. “This gown represents a collective effort to create something truly extraordinary, and I am immensely proud to be the one to showcase it.”
Last year, Williams announced her second pregnancy at the Met Gala, elegantly flaunting her baby bump in a sophisticated black gown by Gucci. Since then, she and her husband Alexis Ohanian welcomed their second daughter, Adira River, into the world.
This year’s dress code, “The Garden of Time,” draws inspiration from J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story of the same name, exploring the interplay between time and natural beauty. The Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” further delves into this theme, featuring around 250 objects from the institute’s collection, all united by nature-inspired iconography.
Serena Williams and her sister Venus have been fixtures at the Met Gala since the early 2000s. Serena debuted on the red carpet in 2004, clad in a jewel-toned purple dress, and has since showcased designs by Oscar de la Renta and Versace. Meanwhile, Venus made her Met Gala debut in 2008 in a bronze Carolina Herrera gown, and in 2022, she opted for a striking tuxedo by Gabriela Hearst.
The Met Gala serves as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City while also commemorating the Costume Institute’s yearly exhibitions. This year, the theme “The Garden of Time” pays homage to the upcoming “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” exhibit, set to open to the public this Friday. Notably, the 2024 event is co-chaired by Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, and Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour.
