On the First Sunday in May, Karlie Kloss, Jodie Turner-Smith, Lizzo, and More Kicked Off the Met Gala Early with a Fabulous UTA Fête

With less than 24 hours until the first guests walk up the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, attendees are already getting the party started. On the Sunday evening before the 2024 Met Gala, United Talent Agency gathered an elite group of friends and fashion folk for their annual pre-Met Gala party. Karlie Kloss, Awkwafina, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union, Cynthia Erivo, Tyler Mitchell, and Jamie Dornan all popped by to toast one of the most highly anticipated events of the year in style.

“This year, in particular, feels bigger than past years in a good way,” Darnell Strom, UTA partner and head of the culture and commerce division, explained. “I know the Met Gala is fashion’s biggest night out, but it’s also a celebration of art and culture. And the incredible cross-section of our clients attending this year reflects just that.”

From actors to comedians to content creators to professional athletes to musicians, the cornucopia of talent in the room set the bar even higher for this year’s star-studded red carpet. Even fashion designer duo Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia of Oscar de la Renta and Monse stopped by to chat with friends of the house between final fittings.

“This time, our women are really special and unique,” Kim told Vogue. “We want to embrace their inner and outer beauty by enhancing it and by customing our designs to their bodies. You’ll see that our styling is a bit different while staying true to our craft.”

Designers are truly the unsung heroes of the first Monday in May. Over a series of months, their sketches transform into the first iterations and eventually into a final look, with many decisions and opinions in between. Not to mention juggling schedule changes and designing their own looks. “While there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into creating one-of-a-kind, very special, bespoke looks our incredible creative directors like Laura and Fernando still show up and are excited to be there," explained Chloe Popescu, a UTA culture and leadership agent "So, it’s really a mix of blood, sweat, and tears with a true amount of passion and joy.”

The ambiance at Nubeluz by José Andrés in The Ritz-Carlton New York NoMad felt like a vibrant family reunion among long-lost friends, despite the rarity of everyone present having previously gathered in the same room before. The magic of the Met Gala lies in its power to bring together talents and creatives from diverse backgrounds in one city.

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label cocktails were flowing as the haze finally evaporated to reveal a 180-degree view of the city's skyline. A picture-perfect backdrop for an evening filled with incredible New York fashion talents from Brandon Maxwell to Sally Lapointe to Christopher John Rogers to Alexandra O'Neil of Markarian.

Regarding this year's dress code–"The Garden of Time"–which perfectly embodies the feminine and floral essence of Oscar de la Renta, Garcia expressed his heightened anticipation to see what his peers dream up for the red carpet. “You know how sometimes people can hit or miss,” Garcia began. “With this year’s theme, even if you miss, a floral gown or whatever your imagination brings to the table is going to be beautiful.”

When it comes to the extensive preparation involved in organizing a Met Gala look, the strategy is always to take a bold leap. “This is the night to really go for it,” Popescu exclaimed. “The Met Gala has become the most important red carpet of the year.”

While many would expect Met Gala attendees to retire early to get some beauty sleep before the big day, this glamorous soirée only reinforced the notion that New York is the city that never sleeps. And when Lizzo showed up after the final call, instead of winding down, the party kicked into high gear.