At the helm of the biggest international fashion spectacular since 1995, Vogue‘s Anna Wintour has been known to produce a tight guest list for the exclusive invitation-only charity event at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

British-American Dame Anna, 74, keeps it to 450 people from the entertainment and fashion worlds, inviting models, designers, actors, musicians, royals, athletes, politicians and more recently, influencers and reality television personalities.

This year, 12 Australians joined her elite circle at the 2024 Met Gala on May 6 to raise money for the Met’s Costume Institute.

Chris Hemsworth, 40, on the promotional tour for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, was not only invited to co-host along with A-listers Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez and rapper Bad Bunny, it was his first time as a guest.

Similarly, Melbourne-born Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons, 27, also made his first appearance.

This year’s exhibition theme is Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, about “using the natural world as a uniting visual metaphor for the transience of fashion”.

The dress code is The Garden of Time.

Vogue Australia says 71 Aussies have been on the guest list over the years.

“To be invited … is a recognition of one’s status in the realm of global cultural influence.

“Among them have been a select number of Australians, whose fame has reached far beyond our national borders to place them firmly in the global zeitgeist,” the magazine’s Divya Venkataraman said.

As expected, Nicole Kidman, Troye Sivan, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Elizabeth Debicki, Naomi Watts, Hugh Jackman, Kylie Minogue and Adut Akech nailed the brief as they graced the off-white and airbrushed green steps of the museum.

Although also worthy of making the list for their contributions to the world of film, basketball and industry respectively, Hemsworth, Simmons and Visy billionaire Anthony Pratt’s fashion choices left some people disappointed and confused.

Chris Hemsworth with his Spanish wife, channeling Rapunzel, Elsa Pataky. Photo: Getty

Bringing their ‘Love and Thunder’

In a pre-gala chat to E!Online on the carpet, Hemsworth, who wore a cream-coloured Tom Ford three-piece suit over an off-white open-necked shirt with black patent leather shoes, admitted he wore thongs to one of his early red-carpet events in Australia.

“The interesting thing was that was actually me making an effort … this [pointing to his suit] has taken a lot of work,” he said.

Rolling Stone said he avoided “both the armoured aesthetic of Thor and the unkempt look of his post-apocalyptic warlord character” in the upcoming Furiosa.

“Does it scream “Garden of Time”? Not really, but he is wearing a (Chopard) watch.”

Maybe a bit too obvious? Ben Simmons carrying a briefcase with a clock on it. Photo: Getty

‘Very me’

Wearing a custom boucle tweed suit and oversized coat with a hand-painted, satin stitched white bullion rose growing up towards his ribcage, Esquire says Simmons’ outfit was “apt”  for the dress code: ” … equal parts delicate and hard, a play on the Met Gala’s theme of permanence”.

“Once I see something that I love, it makes me comfortable and confident,” Simmons told the magazine.

“I feel like this outfit is very me.

“[Thom Browne] has just always catered to the athletes, and I think that’s just been amazing for our industry … you see guys all over the league wearing his clothing.”

Some NBA fans weren’t overly impressed.

“Ben Simmons spent more time on the Met Gala red carpet than the court this year,” wrote one, referencing how few games he’s played.

Director Baz Luhrmann, who reportedly designed the floral display on the red carpet, with his wife, costume designer Catherine Martin, both in glowing emerald green. Photo: Getty

Portraying the late Princess Diana in The Crown, Elizabeth Debicki, wearing Dior haute couture, also scored an invite to the 2022 gala. Photo: Getty

Singer-songwriter Troye Sivan, wearing Prada, describes the night as ‘surreal … people really put their guards down, because you can’t bring partners and managers, so you all just kind of have to talk to each other and you end up talking to someone that you’ve admired for many years’. Photo: Getty

UK-born Australian Naomi Watts made her acting debut in 1986 and has had roles in more than 70 films and 19 TV series. Photo: Getty

South Sudanese-Australian model, Adut Akech, 24, appeared on the cover of British Vogue in 2019, and American Vogue in 2020. Photo: Getty

‘Money can buy you everything, but not always taste,’ said The Sydney Morning Herald on reporting Anthony Pratt’s attendance at the charity gala. Photo: Getty