Celebrating Black dandyism, self-expression, and next-level tailoring—this 12 months’s Met Gala delivered a few of its most unforgettable appears but.
On Monday, Might 5, 2025, the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Artwork in New York Metropolis as soon as once more remodeled into probably the most glamorous runway on the planet as celebrities, designers, and cultural icons gathered for the 2025 Met Gala.
This 12 months’s theme was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Fashion,” celebrating Black dandyism, which refers to a practice the place Black people, notably males, used vogue as a type of self-expression and resistance. This wealthy historical past, deeply intertwined with the experiences of Black individuals, made the theme actually highly effective. However the theme may be dangerous; one important concern was the potential for cultural appropriation. Given the Met Gala’s historical past of inviting celebrities who’ve been criticized for appropriating Black tradition, there was apprehension about non-Black attendees misrepresenting or modifying Black vogue with out understanding its historic context.
The night’s gown code, “Tailor-made for You,” inspired attendees to place their distinctive spin on basic menswear and infuse it with private fashion and creativity. With Anna Wintour joined by co-chairs Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton, and honorary co-chair LeBron James, the 2025 Met Gala was greater than a celebration of vogue—it was a daring tribute to historical past and id.
The purple carpet featured creations that integrated components reflecting Black cultural heritage and modern vogue tendencies.The colour palette was dominated by black and white, with many attendees choosing basic monochrome outfits. Equipment performed an vital function in highlighting Black dandyism on the purple carpet: standout items like intricate jewellery, pocket watches, and even canes paid homage to the class of the previous.
This theme was impressed by Monica L. Miller’s seminal work, Slaves to Trend: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Id. The exhibition explores how Black people have traditionally used vogue to claim id and problem societal norms. For the primary time in its historical past, the Costume Institute presents an exhibition solely centered on menswear and completely that includes designers of colour. With items starting from 18th-century livery to modern works by Virgil Abloh, Grace Wales Bonner, and Pharrell Williams, the exhibit spans centuries of expression, politics, and pleasure throughout twelve highly effective themes.
Finest Dressed: Daring, Considerate, and Tailor-made to Perfection.
Teyana Taylor in Ruth E. Carter
Teyana Taylor captivated this 12 months’s Met Gala with a theatrical, Victorian-inspired ensemble. She wore a three-piece swimsuit that includes black and grey stripes, complemented by a purple cape with voluminous shoulders and floral appliqués. Her equipment—a prime hat, gloves, cane, and matching platform footwear—added to the look’s dramatic aptitude. Taylor’s outfit was a daring interpretation of Black dandyism, mixing historic components with modern vogue. This wasn’t only a costume; it was a press release about presence, id, and proudly owning the room.
Rihanna in Marc Jacobs
Rihanna by no means misses, and this 12 months she proved as soon as once more why she’s the queen of the Met Gala. She made her entrance revealing her third being pregnant in a customized Marc Jacobs. Her look featured a black-and-gray pinstripe corseted gown, paired with a cropped wool jacket, and an outsized black fedora designed by Stephen Jones. The ensemble paid homage to early Twentieth-century menswear and Black dandyism, mixing conventional tailoring with Rihanna’s signature aptitude.
Doechii in Louis Vuitton
Doechii, the Grammy-winning rapper, embraced the theme with a Louis Vuitton ensemble co-designed with Pharrell Williams. Her outfit featured monogrammed checkered shorts, a cropped blazer, a maroon bow tie, and calf-length socks. The look was impressed by Monica L. Miller’s e book “Slaves to Trend,” aligning with the gala’s concentrate on Black dandyism and vogue historical past.
Laura Harrier in Hole Studio
Laura Harrier turned heads in a singular ensemble designed by Zac Posen for Hole Studio. Utilizing Hole and turning it into one thing couture-level was a genius transfer. Her outfit reimagined basic menswear with a waistcoat and trousers remodeled right into a couture assertion by way of exaggerated sleeves, a cinched waist, ultra-wide-leg silk satin pants, and a denim vest. Impressed by household pictures of Harrier’s father and grandfather dressed of their Sunday finest, the look paid tribute to Black dandyism and the theme’s concentrate on self-expression by way of tailor-made vogue. Laura Harrier’s look was one of many smartest takes on the theme all night time, as she portrayed the theme with uniqueness and class.
Lewis Hamilton in Grace Wales Bonner
As a co-chair of the 2025 Met Gala, Lewis Hamilton set a excessive normal along with his outfit designed by Grace Wales Bonner. His swimsuit featured a cropped jacket and high-waisted trousers, complemented by an embroidered sash. Equipment like garnet-filled ear cuffs and baobab-themed brooches paid homage to his African heritage. Hamilton’s look was a considerate tribute to Black dandyism, mixing historic references with modern vogue.
Zendaya in Louis Vuitton
Zendaya delivered a glance that completely encapsulated the night’s theme. She wore a customized white three-piece Louis Vuitton swimsuit designed by Pharrell Williams. Her outfit made reference to the basic zoot swimsuit, a logo of Black dandyism. The look additionally echoed Bianca Jagger’s iconic 1971 Saint Laurent marriage ceremony swimsuit, mixing historic references with modern vogue. This look marked Zendaya’s seventh on the Met Gala, in alignment with the occasion’s theme and its celebration of Black sartorial heritage.
Joey King in Miu Miu
Joey King made a putting debut in a customized Miu Miu. Her outfit featured a vibrant inexperienced swimsuit adorned with blended patterns and mirror elaborations, paying homage to the wealthy custom of Black dandyism whereas infusing it with modern power. King’s look not solely honored the historic roots of Black fashion but in addition showcased her willingness to push vogue boundaries, making her one of many standout attendees of the night time.
Damson Idris in Tommy Hilfiger
Actor Damson Idris delivered one of many night’s most memorable moments with a dramatic vogue reveal. He stepped onto the purple carpet sporting a customized white racing swimsuit designed by Tommy Hilfiger, full with a helmet adorned with over 20,000 Swarovski crystals. In a theatrical second, Idris eliminated the racing swimsuit to unveil a finely tailor-made rouge tuxedo, additionally by Hilfiger. The look paid homage to his function as Joshua “Noah” Pearce within the upcoming movie F1, the place he stars alongside Brad Pitt. His ensemble completely embodied the Met Gala’s theme, showcasing how tailoring can function a strong type of self-expression and cultural storytelling.
Daring Statements, Trend Dangers, and the Controversies That Adopted
BLACKPINK’s Lisa made her debut in Louis Vuitton that shortly turned one of many night’s most talked about appears. Her outfit featured a sheer black lace bodysuit adorned with embroidered portraits, paired with a tailor-made blazer and brand tights. The design was a collaboration between Louis Vuitton’s males’s inventive director Pharrell Williams and artist Henry Taylor, identified for incorporating faces from his private life—household, associates, and neighbors—into his paintings. Controversy arose when observers speculated that one of many embroidered faces was Rosa Parks, but it surely was its placement on the bodysuit which generated critics. It was argued that that includes such a picture in that location was inappropriate, particularly given the occasion’s theme celebrating Black vogue and tradition.
Katy Perry turned the middle of an AI-generated phantasm that captivated the web. Regardless of not attending the occasion as a consequence of her ongoing Lifetimes Tour, real looking AI-generated pictures confirmed Katy Perry in a modern black latex robe paired with a pinstripe blazer, completely aligning with the gala’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Fashion.” These pictures had been so convincing that many followers believed she had made a shock look. This marked the second consecutive 12 months that AI-generated pictures of Perry on the Met Gala went viral. In 2024, comparable pictures fooled not solely followers but in addition her personal mom. This 12 months, Katy humorously addressed the state of affairs on Instagram, sharing the AI pictures and clarifying her precise whereabouts. The incident sparked discussions in regards to the rising sophistication of AI-generated content material and its potential to blur the strains between actuality and fiction. Whereas many discovered humor within the state of affairs, others expressed concern over how simple these pictures can mislead the general public.
On the 2025 Met Gala, themed “Superfine: Tailoring Black Fashion,” mannequin Amelia Grey Hamlin made a daring vogue assertion that shortly turned one of many night’s most talked-about moments. Amelia Grey Hamlin’s look on the 2025 Met Gala, sparked important controversy as a consequence of her selection of equipment. The mannequin wore a purple lace Valentino look, which included a head masking resembling a conventional durag. This accent selection led to criticism on social media, with many customers labeling it as cultural appropriation. On this case, the usage of a durag, a garment with deep cultural significance within the Black neighborhood, by somebody outdoors that neighborhood, was considered by many as problematic.
Sydney Sweeney additionally had some controversy as a consequence of her selection of apparel, which many felt was misaligned with the occasion’s theme. She wore a black sequined robe by Miu Miu, impressed by actress Kim Novak’s. This selection was a nod to her upcoming function portraying Novak in Colman Domingo’s movie Scandalous!. Regardless of this clarification, many critics argued that her homage to a white actress was inappropriate for an occasion celebrating Black vogue and tradition. They felt that highlighting a white icon wasn’t following the concentrate on Black dandyism and the contributions of Black designers and stylists.
This 12 months’s Met Gala was an evening full of unimaginable vogue, cultural exploration, and moments that sparked dialog. From the daring interpretations of the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Fashion” theme to the controversies that adopted, the purple carpet really confirmed how vogue can problem norms, inform tales, and provoke thought. Regardless, the Met Gala as soon as once more proved why it stays one of the crucial anticipated occasions within the vogue world, the place the road between artwork and elegance is regularly pushed to new heights.
As all the time, the Met Gala sparked loads of debate about who nailed the theme and who missed the mark. What did you consider this 12 months’s finest and worst dressed? Have been there any standout moments or controversial appears that had you speaking? Tell us your ideas within the feedback!
