Met Gala: Entrepreneur Mona Patel was best-dressed on the red ...
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The 2024 Met Gala came and went in a flash of glamorous red-carpet fashion.
On Monday, celebrities gathered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the themed event, which raises money for the museum's Costume Institute.
The "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" gala had a "Garden of Time" dress code based on a short story by J.G. Ballard of the same name, Vogue reported.
Celebrities interpreted the dress code differently, with some gravitating toward floral patterns while others focused on incorporating time into their looks.
But one of the best takes came from Mona Patel, a philanthropist and entrepreneur who made her Met Gala debut.
Patel wore a custom Iris van Herpen gown for her first Met GalaAs she shared on her Haute Mona website, Patel has founded eight companies throughout her career — including fashion, real estate, and tech ventures — which she launched after moving from India to the US for college.
For instance, her website states she's working on a health-tech startup called radXai that leverages AI to support healthcare professionals who use imaging, such as radiologists. And a hallmark of her work is Couture For Cause, a nonprofit that uses fashion to support girls worldwide. She also earned a spot on the Forbes Next 1000 list in 2021.
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Her work in the fashion world led her to the 2024 Met Gala, where she arrived in a custom Iris van Herpen couture gown.
"I wanted my debut look to be something that celebrates my heritage and also combines my love of couture, and when I heard of the theme, Iris van Herpen seemed like the obvious choice," Patel told Vogue India of how she came to work with the designer.
The oatmeal-hued dress hugged Patel's figure before flaring out around her ankles. The skirt was floor-length in the back, with oversize scallops shaped like wings, while a scooped cutout created a high-low look in the front of the gown.
It had a strapless neckline, and the corset bodice was designed to look like butterfly wings both in shape and through the detailing covering the gown.
Textured, semi-sheer lace covered the sides of the gown. Vogue India reported the dress was hand-embroidered in India.
Winged arm cuffs designed by Casey Curran that looked like an array of butterflies floating down Patel's arms drove home the motif, as they moved as she walked down the red carpet.
The train was fully displayed as Patel climbed the Met's steps, cascading behind her in layers.
Law Roach, Zendaya's longtime stylist, served as Patel's stylist — or "image architect" as he calls his job — for the look.
Roach famously said he retired from celebrity styling in 2023, and he's been more selective than ever about who he collaborates with since that announcement.
According to Vogue India, Roach and Patel traveled to Mumbai together in March to make the gown come to life, meeting with the Iris van Herpen team at a factory and visiting Vogue's India office together. The trip must have occurred just weeks before Zendaya's "Challengers" press tour, during which she wore looks styled by Roach throughout the trip.
Patel wore simple drop earrings and an updo styled by Chris Martin and Edgar Martin with the look, keeping the focus on the gown.
The Met Gala newbie made a splash at the event, with many social media users wondering who she was as photos of her look started circulating online.
By standing out on fashion's biggest night, Patel skyrocketed herself into it-girl status — and the world will certainly know her name by the time she unveils her next red-carpet look.
