Lifestyle Style Janelle Monáe Expertly Recovers from Near-Fall on 2024 Met Gala Steps The star's towering platform heels almost got the best of her — but she rebounded like a red carpet pro! By Catherine Santino Catherine Santino Catherine Santino is a Style Writer-Reporter at PEOPLE. She began as a contributor for PEOPLE in 2022 and joined the staff full-time in 2024. Her work has previously appeared in The Zoe Report, Popsugar, Insider and more. People Editorial Guidelines Published on May 7, 2024 12:11AM EDT Close Janelle Monae at the 2024 Met Gala. Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Janelle Monáe proved once again why she's a red carpet pro. The singer and actress, 38, nearly tripped on her way up the iconic Met Gala steps at the Monday, May 6 event, but recovered quickly and gracefully. Channeling this year's dress code and theme, named "The Garden of Time" and “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" respectively, Monáe wore a custom skin-bearing Vera Wang gown made of holographic discs that curved around her body and down the design's mini-train. It also featured waist cutouts and a plunging sweetheart neckline for a dose of sexiness and a 3D appliqué that covered her collarbones. The look also featured hand-strung crystal beads and was made from sustainably recycled plastic bottles that were molded by hand into organically shaped flowers. Entertainment Tonight caught the moment that the singer's mermaid-style gown — and towering platform shoes — nearly got the best of her as she made her way up the staircase. After almost tripping, Monáe recovered and then started posing for spectators who clapped and cheered for her, Janelle Monae at the 2024 Met Gala. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Before departing The Mark hotel for the Met Gala, Monáe told PEOPLE what she wished she knew at her first Met Gala: "To be present." The Moonlight actress has become known for her avant-garde Met Gala looks over the years. At the 2023 Met Gala, she made a shocking outfit change mid-carpet. After arriving on the carpet in a large, black-and-white tweed Thom Browne tuxedo suit-dress, two men who accompanied her stripped the star of her oversized tweed jacket to unveil a sheer black tulle pannier dress that she wore over a sequined bikini. At the 2019 Met Gala, Monáe wore a Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso-inspired dress featuring an exaggerated hip silhouette, eye and lip motifs and a towering hat made of, well, more hats.