Kendall Jenner Just Became the First Person to Ever Wear This 1999 Givenchy Gown

As much as the fashion community loves the feeling of anticipation leading up to the Met Gala every year, the build-up is nothing compared to the actual event. After months of preparation, first-time and veteran attendees alike have started to arrive, and with their appearances come answers to our burning questions about who made the 2024 guest list and what they'll wear to commemorate the moment. One such vet is Kendall Jenner, who dug into fashion's archives to once again *deliver* on Met Gala night.

With a dress code of The Garden of Time, inspired by J.G. Ballard's 1962 short story, and an exhibition titled Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, we've been expecting nature to play a significant role in the evening's vast selection of looks. But not everyone went the obvious floral-print route (thankfully). Instead, Jenner—who chose an archival Givenchy gown from Alexander McQueen's F/W 99 haute couture collection for the house—noted in an interview with Vogue that the kismet nature of her look is what related it to Ballard's short story, calling it "meant to be." She stumbled upon the black, strong-shouldered, low-cut gown while knee-deep in Met Gala research, falling for it immediately but knowing that it could easily not work for her or fashion's biggest night. She would be the first human ever to wear it given that the 25-year-old dress was only donned by a mannequin for the couture show. To protect its integrity, she wouldn't be able to adjust the fit of it at all. Luckily, despite its age and the fact that it was only tailored for a bust, it "just fit," she said in the interview.

The dress, according to a press release, required 500 hours of hand embroidery and features more than 100,000 beads and sequins. To accompany it, Jenner wore a long, ethereal wig fit with two almost fairy-like braids, as well as Lorraine Schwartz jewelry. Scroll down to see her jaw-dropping vintage look, which, after the Met Gala, will go straight back to its rightful spot in the brand's archives, per Givenchy.

At Givenchy's F/W 99 couture show:

On Kendall Jenner at the 2024 Met Gala:

On Kendall Jenner: Vintage Givenchy dress; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry