MET GALA 2024 THEME EXPLAINED: for starters the sleeping beauty part does not refer to Disney princesses but to 50 historically significant garments from the Met’s collection that are too fragile to be worn ever again. The exhibition will be centred around 3 main zones: Land, Sea and Sky as an ode to their natural materials that we use in many versatile ways to create innovative garments. So i expect sustainably driven, technologically edged and nature/craftsmanship centred designs.
Neerja Bhanot was a 22-year-old flight attendant working on Pan Am Flight 73 when it was hijacked by terrorists during a layover in 1986.
Soon after taking control, the terrorists killed an Indian-American traveler and discarded his body outside the plane.
They ordered Bhanot to gather the passengers' passports to single out Americans.
However, she concealed the identities of the 43 Americans on the flight by stashing their passports under seats and discarding others.
After a tense 17-hour standoff, the hijackers began shooting and setting off explosives.
Bhanot bravely opened the plane's doors, and rather than escaping herself, she helped passengers evacuate.
Tragically, she lost her life while shielding three American children from gunfire.
One of the kids she safeguarded grew up to become an airline captain, crediting Bhanot as his inspiration.