Met Gala 2025: To Celebrate Black Dandyism and Sartorial Elegance
The 2025 Met Gala, on May 5 at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, took up the theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." This was a theme drawn from Monica L. Miller's Slaves to Fashion book, which explored the deep history of Black dandyism and how it impacted fashion for three centuries.
Theme & Cultural Significance
The theme of the gala was Black dandyism—a style phenomenon in which Black people employed fashion as self-expression and resistance against the norms of society. The Costume Institute show that opened to the public on May 10 delves into this legacy, revealing how Black fashion has contributed to cultural identities throughout the Atlantic diaspora.
Standout Moments & Fashion Highlights
- Rihanna: Shut down the red carpet in a bespoke Marc Jacobs look, discreetly revealing her third pregnancy.
- Diana Ross: Returned in dramatic fashion in a white dress with an 18-foot feathered train, covered with the names of her children and grandchildren.
- Zendaya: Stole the show in a white Louis Vuitton zoot suit, topped off with a bold red lip and a glittering engagement ring from Tom Holland.
- Kamala Harris: Stole the Met Gala spotlight in a sharp black-and-cream Off-White dress.
- Lauryn Hill: Made her Met Gala entrance in a butter-yellow double-breasted suit with a padded train, oversized shades, and a blue Birkin bag.
- Isha Ambani: Shone in a bespoke Anamika Khanna outfit that boasted a necklace weighing 89 stones with a total of 481.42 carats, including an 80.73-carat cushion-cut natural diamond.
- Doechii: Treated her inaugural Met Gala attendance in a Louis Vuitton suit with the help of Pharrell Williams and took inspiration from the book Slaves to Fashion.
- André 3000: Stopped traffic by arriving with a baby piano strapped across his back as a symbol that he had something new coming, an EP drop.
- Madonna: Wore an off-white tuxedo complete with a cummerbund, clear white bow tie, mesh gloves, and a cigar.
Cultural Impact
The 2025 Met Gala was not just a fashion show; it was a celebration of the lasting power of Black fashion and its contribution to cultural narratives. The event brought to the fore how fashion is a potent medium for storytelling, identity, and resistance.
