Brooklyn Peltz Beckham is no stranger to fashion’s biggest night—this is his fourth consecutive Met Gala—but this year, things were a little different. With wife Nicola Peltz Beckham back in Palm Beach, Florida spending quality time with her grandmother and family, Beckham took on the infamous steps (this time, covered in a cream carpet with moss green accents mimicking a garden floor) solo. He was expectedly nervous, but still excited.

Before hitting the carpet—where a star-studded guest list turned up in the finest interpretations of this year’s theme, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,Beckham took the morning to relax. He wanted to enjoy a little calm before the storm, if you will. He played paddle with his brother-in-law and friends and hopped on a few Zoom meetings (the work never stops), and then it was time to start getting ready. Situated in a suite at The Carlyle in Manhattan, Beckham prepped for the big evening with a facial, a haircut, and one last fitting, plus a glass or two of WeSake to relax.

Hanging in the corner of the room is a custom Dior suit, a collaborative effort between Beckham, his stylist Jason Bolden, and the Parisian fashion house. “I love Kim Jones and the entire Dior team,” Beckham says. “They’re family at this point. He also did the suits for my wedding, so he knows exactly what I want out of these looks.” After a few meetings, they landed on an all-white three-piece suit featuring a double-breasted jacket, a matching waistcoat, and relaxed trousers with a satin cummerbund, worn sans shirt to showcase his tattoos and the jewelry.

As for how the classic look nodded to the theme and dress code of The Garden of Time, Beckham tells us it was all about the details, like the modern tailoring that leaned into the idea of men from old stories but with a little more edge.

Speaking of details, as a finishing touch, Beckham selected a relaunch of a vintage Piaget gold watch that has never been worn. “I’m a big watch collector and am slowly growing my collection, so I’m honored that they pulled it out of the archive for me. It completes the look and overall vibe that we were going for,” he says.

The carpet is notoriously nerve-racking with the daunting steps and so many cameras flashing, but at this point, it feels a little like business as usual for the model and culinary entrepreneur. When we ask if there’s anyone he’s excited to see this year, Beckham says the list is endless but adds, “I heard that I’m seated at the same table as Odell Beckham Jr., who is a friend, so I’m excited about that.”

Photographer: Mekhi Turner
Stylist: Jason Bolden
Groomer: Amaran Grewal