NAIROBI, Kenya — The Met Gala 2025 wasn’t just fashion’s most photographed evening — it was a cultural reset, drenched in Black heritage and high-end tailoring.
This year’s theme, “Tailored for You,” was inspired by the Costume Institute’s “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” — an exhibition celebrating the bold, expressive history of Black dandyism.
Fashion at the 2025 Met Gala wasn’t about trends — it was about tribute. Inspired by the 1940s zoot suit, jazz-era swag, and the Harlem Renaissance, celebs ditched predictable couture for something with roots and rhythm.
Designer and legend Dapper Dan said it best: “Real dandyism began with zoot suits, jazz, and Harlem.”
And those roots blossomed across the carpet. Doja Cat stunned in a wide-shouldered Marc Jacobs blazer. Tessa Thompson and Doechii followed suit — literally — with bold lapels and modern tailoring.
Janelle Monáe may have won the night, though, with a “suit within a suit” look — an optical illusion of outerwear revealing a real blazer beneath, topped off with a bowler hat and spinning monocle. Yes, spinning.
Personal Icons, Cultural Legends
While some looks celebrated history, others went deep into personal storytelling. Met Gala 2025 co-chair Colman Domingo arrived in a royal blue Valentino cape — a heartfelt homage to André Leon Talley, the late Vogue editor who helped redefine modern fashion.
Lewis Hamilton, also co-chair, added his own tribute with patent leather shoes referencing Talley’s iconic style.
Anne Hathaway nodded to the icon as well, donning a crisp white shirt under a Carolina Herrera column dress.
The evening was also about Black creators. Ayo Edebiri wore a Ferragamo suit that honored her father and other dandy men in her life.
Gigi Hadid celebrated Zelda Wynn Valdes, the pioneering Black designer behind the glamour of Josephine Baker and Ella Fitzgerald. Jodie Turner-Smith looked equestrian chic, channeling Selina Lazevski.
And then came Diana Ross. Making her first Met Gala appearance in over 20 years, the icon floated in a 60-pound gown embroidered with the names of her entire family — a regal finale on the blue carpet.
For the first time ever, Met Gala 2025 made menswear the star of the show — and the results were anything but traditional. Tailoring was turned on its head and reinterpreted across gender lines with creativity and edge.
Zendaya turned heads in a sharply cut Louis Vuitton three-piece, while Lupita Nyong’o floated in an all-aquamarine Chanel set, complete with a chiffon cape and matching hat. It was sleek, stunning, and thoroughly theatrical.
Male attendees took the cue and ran with it. Regé-Jean Page arrived draped in blazing red. Henry Golding gleamed in gold. Bad Bunny played it cool in a relaxed brown suit and a Puerto Rican pava hat, giving cultural pride a high-fashion twist.
This year proved that tailoring isn’t just for the boardroom or the boys — it’s a canvas for identity, fluidity, and freedom.
