Tyla, Met Gala 2024 queen, was lifted up the steps of the Met like the fashion royalty she is.
most people interpreted the dress code—"the Garden of Time"—florally. But Tyla, the 22-year-old South African singer whose debut album was released in March, took the suggestion in a more intellectual direction, embodying “the sands of time” in both her sculpted gown, sand on her body, and a handheld hourglass.
But because the piece, created by Balmain, was so restrictive, Tyla wasn't quite sure she could make it up the museum's iconic steps without becoming, well, a beached sand sculpture. So the handlers who were on hand to help with her dress…just picked her up! You can see it in the video below. She's not quite carried but she is…transported.
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The singer gamely smiles and poses as she is (gently) plunked down in front of reporters. It probably helps that, at 5'3", Tyla is rather portable.
Now, let's take a closer look at the dress.
The gold and diamond choker adds an elevated touch. Did someone say draw the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man?
The material was sculpted to look like it was made entirely of sand, down to a grain, but based on how she didn't leave a sandy trail behind her, there's definitely something else going on. Beads? According to Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing the bodice of the dress was molded specifically to her body, which is how they achieved such a precise fit.
A moment for the nails, which are dripping with jewels attached by chains!
“The inspiration behind this creation stemmed from a desire to redefine boundaries and transform a transient material into an everlasting masterpiece,” Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain, told Vogue.
“The idea of sculpting a garment from something as ephemeral as sand ignited my imagination and I could not be happier with the end result.”
Tyla's Met Gala 2024 was one for the books!
This feature originally appeared on Glamour US.
