How was Rita Ora’s Met Gala dress ‘older than anyone on this planet?’

Rita Ora‘s look at the 2024 Met Gala was one of the most talked-about, but not for the best reasons.

The singer showed up arm-in-arm with husband Taika Waititi, both dressed in custom Marni. Ora wore an open silhouette gown with long strands of multi-colored beads draped over a skin-tone bodysuit, while the Kiwi director opted for a full-leather chocolate-colored pantsuit. This is their third year attending the high-profile event together.

While Ora gushed about the artistry that went into making the ensemble, which features beads that date back to the first and second centuries BC, collected from Europe and Northern Africa, the internet was, as expected, having a field day pretending they’re the fashion police for an evening. The eccentricity of Ora’s outfit became an easy target.

“Imagine being the people who made those beads. had no idea they were going to be covering Rita Ora’s arse did they. no. none at all [sic],” one X user commented. That does put things into perspective. Like the “You Only Love Me” musician told Vulture, those beads are indeed older than anyone on the planet, considering they’re about 2000 years old.

The outfit was carefully handmade by artisans at Marni, as shared by the brand on its official social media pages, but netizens couldn’t help but notice an inescapable connection with those bead curtains that all our grandmas used to have separating their kitchens from the back garden. Somehow, that’s a universal experience.

Or maybe she was referencing another pop icon.

Speaking to Access Hollywood, Ora revealed the antiquity of the beads was a testament to fashion’s ability to stand the test of time. The execution might not have been perfect, but the thought behind the gown was definitely meritorious. Regardless, we’re definitely inspired by her confidence and power.