The umbrellas came out in force, but not even a downpour could dampen the spectacle of the 2025 Met Gala. Beneath the dripping awnings of Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, stars turned out in tailored splendour for fashion’s most-watched night.
This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” was more than a dress code. It was a cultural moment—an homage to 300 years of Black fashion, identity, and resistance. The exhibition it inaugurates, set to run at the Costume Institute, places Black designers and dressers squarely in the spotlight—many for the first time.
“It’s about history, about legacy,” said actor and co-chair Colman Domingo, stepping onto the carpet in a sculptural Thom Browne coat. “And yes, it’s about looking sharp.”
Tailored to Resist
The theme, drawn from academic Monica L. Miller’s work on Black dandyism, offered fertile ground. It looked at the way Black men, particularly in the diaspora, have long used fashion as a tool of both defiance and dignity. It was a theme of precision and subtle rebellion.
Paloma Elsesser, dressed in Ferragamo by Maximilian Davis, called it “restraint as resistance” in her Vogue preview. “Black dandyism is not about assimilation,” she said. “It’s about subversion.”
Colin Kaepernick’s appearance echoed that ethos. Wearing a crimson jacquard suit by Ozwald Boateng, the former quarterback, known for his silent protest against police brutality, nodded to Harlem’s tailoring traditions. “This is for those who came before, who wore elegance like armour,” he said briefly.
The Rain, the Riches, and the Ritual
Tickets cost $75,000 this year, or around £60,000, with tables reaching into the six figures. Proceeds support the Met’s Costume Institute, though insiders note the gala costs millions to stage.
And while the red carpet lasted just a few hours, it was—like always—a marathon of interpretation. There were fewer gimmicks, more texture. FKA Twigs channelled Josephine Baker in a flapper-style number by Grace Wales Bonner. Stevie Wonder, draped in an endless train, summed it up simply: “Love, not hate. That’s why I’m here.”
Rihanna made her entrance fashionably late, as ever. Spotted earlier in the evening in powder blue at the Carlyle Hotel, the singer confirmed speculation—her third pregnancy, subtly signalled under a soft stole.
Madonna, 66, brought her own kind of theatre in an ivory silk tuxedo, cigar in hand. “Tailored,” she quipped to reporters, “but never tame.”
A Quiet Statement on Inclusion
Not all responses were uncritical. Despite its celebration of Black style, some observers noted the absence of younger, lesser-known Black designers.
“It’s beautiful, but it still feels safe,” said one stylist, who declined to be named. “We’re celebrating Black creativity, but are we making room for Black futures?”
Still, many found it meaningful. British labels like Martine Rose and Wales Bonner had major moments, suggesting a shift in who gets seen on the global stage.
A Final Word
If past Met Galas were peacock parades, this year leaned inwards. The clothing spoke softly but firmly. Pinstripes—long a symbol of power—were everywhere, reimagined in red, gold, and silk.
As guests vanished inside for dinner and performances, the rain still falling, the message lingered.
“It’s not just a costume,” said designer Edward Enninful. “It’s a conversation.”
