Books By Style

Supermodel turned entrepreneur Karlie Kloss partnered with Swarovski’s creative director Giovanna Engelbert and stylist Karla Welch for a striking take on the 2024 Met Gala theme. “A Garden In Time” was the motif for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2024 Costume Institute exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” Inspired by J.G. Ballard’s short story “The Garden of Time,” Kloss’s custom gown embodied the crystal flower central to the tale, capturing beauty and elegance—a hallmark of the gala.

With more than ten Met Gala appearances, Kloss is no stranger to the iconic event, but her 2024 debut—complete with a radiant baby bump—was truly unforgettable. Her custom pink Swarovski gown stole the spotlight, a strapless mermaid silhouette sparkling with 180,000 light rose crystals from the Florere and Millenia collections. Seven artisans spent over 200 hours bringing the gown to life, while a dazzling corset, crafted by five artisans over 1,000 hours and encrusted with 60,000 crystals, created the illusion of her being wrapped in blooming pink garlands.

Swarovski’s collaboration with Kloss uniquely showcased the beauty of blending jewelry artistry and fashion design. Their work not only captured the theme but also highlighted the delicate connection between fashion and nature through crystal embellishments. When speaking to CR Fashion Book, the model stated, “Wearing a delicate garment entirely made of crystals captures the essence of rebirth and renewal, but also respects the fragility of the historical garments featured in the exhibition.” The gown beautifully showed that nothing is meant to last forever, not in fashion and not in nature.

In the book The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, there’s a group a people called the Covey who love to wear colorful clothing inspired by nature. One of their members, named Lucy Gray, was known for her vibrant dress; she would have really appreciated this beautiful interpretation of nature in fashion. Imagine an older, wiser Lucy Gray wearing a custom Swarovski gown, showing her evolution from being an innocent girl to a sophisticated woman. It emphasizes that she’s no longer ruled by nature-she’s now the ruler.

Written by legendary author Suzanne Collins, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the fourth book in the Hunger Games series. The story takes place nearly 65 years before the original series and was written as a backstory for the character of President Snow. It follows a young girl, Lucy Gray, as she’s thrown into the arena for the 10th annual Hunger Games, where she unwittingly becomes the first victor from District 12. Fans of the series will learn how Coriolanus Snow became the man he is today and how he took power – Snow always lands on top.

For fans of Karlie Kloss’s and Swavrovski’s Met Gala gown, you can buy a couple of the pieces on the brand’s website. Fans may like a similar style of dress from Bronx and Banco on Revolve or the City Triangles dress on David’s Bridal. Readers who loved the Hunger Games series will love Collins’ fourth installment in the franchise, as you learn more about some of your favorite characters. Readers who are interested in dystopian books, difficult love stories, or folk music will love this story by Suzanne Collins. Interested readers can purchase the book, or others in the Hunger Games series, in bookstores and online.