This year, art, drama, and couture come together at the Met Gala 2025, and the world (myself included) watches with bated breath. This isn’t just another red carpet; it’s a place to make a statement through fashion. And as someone who lives for architectural silhouettes, sculptural fantasies, and using fashion as a medium for powerful storytelling – believe me, I’ve got thoughts.
In this article, we’re diving into the theme behind this year’s Met Gala, as well as the hits that had our jaws on the floor, and the misses that left us underwhelmed. So, take a seat and let’s get into it!
The 2025 Met Gala
As someone who sees fashion as both art and archive, the Met Gala always feels like a precious convergence of the two. It’s not just a “costume party” – it’s the main fundraising event for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, fuelling the research, conservation, and exhibitions that keep fashion history alive and relevant. And when done well, the Met Gala doesn’t just create beautiful photos – it educates, inspires, and moves culture forward.
For Met Gala 2025’s theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, is a cultural reset. A tribute to Black dandyism, this theme celebrates centuries of sartorial resistance, elegance, and individuality.
From the courts of Enlightenment Europe to the streets of Harlem and the runways of Paris, Black men have used tailoring to stand out, speak up, and subvert the systems that tried to keep them invisible. In a space that too often sidelines menswear in favour of gowns and glamour, this focus on Black style – and particularly Black menswear – was a long time coming.
In fact, this is the first menswear-focused Met exhibition in over two decades!
The dress code, Tailored for You, was such a clever prompt. It was an open invitation for attendees to get personal and creative, to bend the rules of suiting and redefine what elegance means when it’s tailored to one’s identity. So we’re not looking for any old tux!
Let’s start with the looks that understood the assignment. These were some of the best-dressed of the evening, with looks most beautifully tailored for them.
The Hits
Teyana Taylor
Teyana Taylor may have been one of the first to arrive at Met Gala 2025, but I already knew she was gonna make this list. She embodied the theme through Harlem-meets-haute-couture storytelling! With a look so sharp, so symbolic, and so deliberate, it set high standards for the rest of the night.
Her custom Marc Jacobs suit – designed in collaboration with Ruth E. Carter (the Oscar-winning mastermind behind Black Panther) – was inspired by the zoot suits of the Harlem Renaissance. Once banned by the government during WWII due to fabric rationing, they’ve been reclaimed as emblems of resilience, and Teyana’s look was a much-needed reminder that fashion has always been political.
The three-piece red pinstripe suit hugged her like a second skin, but it was the cape that told the story. Padded for structure and embroidered with Harlem Rose – a callback to her 2018 track – the trailing satin roses and crystal vines were as if she was walking with ancestors at her back.
The overall styling sealed the deal for me, I was all for the burgundy top hat, the exaggerated ostrich feather, red leather gloves, a cane, and David Yurman bling, and the durag under her hat was a lovely cultural touch. This was the best look of the night, argue with the wall!
Diana Ross
Sweeping in like an ethereal entity, Diana Ross brought soul to the carpet. Her custom Ugo Mozie for Eleven Sixteen was a snow-white spectacle that had me gagged. And her feathered cape was so large, it needed five people to carry it – but it wasn’t extravagant for the sake of it! Embroidered on the inside were the names of her five children and eight grandchildren.
Diana commanded the space by bringing personal meaning into her look. The tailoring wasn’t in lapels or pinstripes, but in the narrative structure. And she topped it all off with a large feather hat and cascading chandelier earrings that had me a little jealous – can’t blame a girl for loving her sparkly jewellery!
While others leaned into menswear silhouettes or archival references, Diana gave us the matriarchal version of Black elegance – full of grace, glamour and gravitas.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Arriving shortly after her mother (and yes, that 18-foot cape), Tracee Ellis Ross showed up in a powder-pink Marc Jacobs custom ensemble that held its own. The silhouette was soft yet structured, feminine but not fussy. In a night full of strong colours, icy whites, and deep blacks, this shade of blush was an exhale after a dramatic overture.
But what made the look really work was the intentional restraint. While other looks leaned maximalist, Tracee’s take on modern Black dandyism was through a softer lens – not about overpowering the room, but about owning space with control. And her look didn’t need embellishments to land its message!
Where Diana was theatrical, Tracee was architectural. Where Diana commanded attention, Tracee curated it. Her look was a reminder that confident restraint can be just as visually commanding.
Lewis Hamilton
Everybody, give it up for co-chair Lewis Hamilton! His Wales Bonner look was another example of a restrained statement. Was it the flashiest thing on the carpet? No. But was it tailored within an inch of its life and aligned with the theme? Yes indeed.
Hamilton’s white suit was a study in sharp minimalism – crisp lapels, pristine fit, and no overwhelming visual noise. Wales Bonner, a designer who’s long been melding luxury tailoring with diasporic narratives, was the ideal match for this.
And though I’ll admit I was kind of hoping for one of his more playful colour choices (he’s done some killer combos and pattern clashes before) at first, I grew to realise this look was probably meant to appear calculated and composed.
The decision to go clean and understated to let the silhouette and craftsmanship shine, which is what Superfine: Tailoring Black Style was all about. It was about the drama in the stitch, in the shoulder line, in how a suit hugs the body. And Hamilton, who’s made a career out of precision and grace under pressure, embodied that to a T!
Colman Domingo
Colman Domingo, another co-chair of the 2025 Met Gala, had me captivated from the moment he stepped onto the carpet – and that’s exactly what fashion should do. At first glance, his Valentino ensemble was a regal royal blue cape with a glimmering ivory bolero – before an even grander reveal! Beneath the drama was a sharp, black, white, and grey tailored suit with a refined dandy flower.
Domingo performed a narrative here. The cape and bolero had all the extravagance of classic dandy looks, while the sophisticated suit beneath switched things up, much like how dandyism is a balancing act between flamboyance and formality. He was clearly in tune with the theme!
Rihanna
Fine, fine. I am a little biased when it comes to Rihanna. But there’s no denying that her Met Gala look would have made this list either way! Rihanna showed up in a Marc Jacobs suit-inspired dress that was quite the statement – hello, baby bump! Oh, and I love a dramatic headpiece. Her wide-brimmed hat was the cherry on top, I could never pull that off!
We need to get into how impeccable the tailoring was. The blend of classic suit-inspired structure and contemporary maternity wear was a powerful interpretation of the Tailored for You dress code – tailoring the dress to her unborn child was quite the pregnancy announcement/
Rihanna is an icon of Black fashion and culture, and with this look, she showed that motherhood can be glamorous and part of the larger conversation on Black tailoring and style.
Lauryn Hill
The OG queen of rap at the Met Gala? I still can’t believe it. This was Lauryn Hill’s first-ever appearance, and she made sure the world knew it. Her rare public outing alone had people scrambling, but her look itself was unforgettable. I can’t talk about the 2025 Met Gala without mentioning her!
Her pastel yellow suit was cinched just right at the waist, but it was the accessories that had me sold. The burgundy tie, the oversized sunglasses, the gold earrings? Yes, yes, yes! And how could I miss the striking pop of blue with her Hermès Kelly in hand?
Lauryn Hill gave us Black dandyism at its most playful and sophisticated. There was intention in every piece, from the gloves to the umbrella, to the paid homage to Ghanaian royalty with jewellery by Emefa Cole made from single-mine origin gold. Honestly, I’m hoping she returns for the next Met Gala.
The Misses
Joe Burrow
We’ve talked about some of the best looks of the night, and now it’s time to discuss the ones that didn’t quite hit the mark. Joe Burrow, what happened here? The Met Gala is the one night where fashion should take risks, push boundaries, and show us something we’ve never seen before.
Not to mention, the baggy suit and open-collared shirt felt like a complete disconnect with the theme. I’m all for a relaxed vibe, but the suit was ill-fitting, and the overall styling felt more like something you’d wear on a date than a fashion event that celebrates precision tailoring.
I get that suits are a classic go-to, but with this year’s focus on menswear excellence, I’m afraid to say this seemed like a lazy choice. It’s the Met Gala, after all! We’ve come to expect more than just the basics.
Hailey Bieber
To be honest, I’m a bit gutted here. Hailey Bieber is usually on-point with her formal looks, rocking structured suits and sharp silhouettes. So when I saw her at the Met Gala, I really expected her to use this opportunity to bring her A-game for a theme that was so her. But, sadly, this one slipped through her fingers.
A simple black suit jacket with tights – that’s it? While I get that minimalism can be impactful, this look was too safe, especially for a theme that begged for personality. Hailey’s ensemble lacked the colour, patterns, and daring flair that are essential to dandyism – a style known for its attention-grabbing details.
What made it worse was the missed opportunity for some complementary accessories or sharper tailoring details that could’ve made this look pop. Call me blunt, but even some of her regular night-out looks were miles ahead of this!
Anne Hathaway
Ah, Anne Hathaway. I’ve got a soft spot for her, but I’ve got to be real here – this look was a bit of a letdown. She wore a custom Carolina Herrera ensemble with a white dress shirt and a bedazzled black-and-white striped skirt. Yes, it’s clean, it’s neat, but it just didn’t have the drama or innovation that we’d expect.
Like the previous two muses, she appeared too simple. While I can appreciate the pristine tailoring and timeless vibe, this look called for more theatricality to carry the weight it needed. Maybe if she’d added a matching sparkling jacket or some statement accessories, it could’ve lifted it to the level we were hoping for. Oh well, maybe next time!
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
As we wrap up this quick recap of the 2025 Met Gala, let’s remind ourselves once again of the meaning behind Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Based on Monica L. Miller’s Slaves to Fashion, the exhibition goes beyond showcasing beautiful garments and explores how Black sartorial expression intersects with race, class, gender, and power.
And with twelve thoughtfully curated sections at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, from Heritage to Cosmopolitanism, it’s a glimpse of the transformative power of fashion, both on the runway and throughout history.
On our little red dot, many of us may not be able to explore the museum firsthand, where The Costume Institute often hosts talks, panels, and events that contextualise the exhibit’s themes. But not to worry! The Met offers online resources and catalogues, including large-print versions and multimedia content, so you can still experience the exhibit in all its depth. Until the next time!
Cover Photo Courtesy of Evan Agostini.
