One Week Out: Why This Year's Met Gala Is Fashion History in the Making
Updated April 29th, 2025
The Countdown Begins
This year, the Met Gala theme isn’t just about style, it’s about honoring, remembering, and reclaiming history.
We're officially one week away from the 2025 Met Gala — aka fashion's Super Bowl, style's biggest night, the grand stage where art, identity, and couture collide.
Every first Monday in May, fashion lovers around the world hold their breath as the Metropolitan Museum of Art transforms into a living, breathing gallery of the boldest, most unforgettable looks. Who could forget the mesmerizing beauty of Heavenly Bodies in 2018? Or the theatrical brilliance of Camp: Notes on Fashion in 2019? And just last year, The Garden of Time delivered a poetic fantasy, blending past, present, and future in full bloom.
What Is the Met Gala, Really?
Beyond the flashing lights and viral moments, the Met Gala serves a powerful purpose. Officially known as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, this annual fundraiser supports the Costume Institute at The Met in New York City, helping preserve and celebrate fashion’s past and future. The event marks the grand opening of the Institute's annual fashion exhibition, and it’s held inside the museum’s historic halls, surrounded by centuries of art.
This Year's Theme: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”
On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” This groundbreaking exhibition draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Miller's work explores how Black individuals have historically used fashion, particularly dandyism, as a means of self-expression, resistance, and identity formation across the diaspora. From the 18th century to the present, Black dandyism has served as a powerful tool to challenge societal norms and assert individuality.
The exhibition is organized into 12 sections, each representing a characteristic that defines dandy style: Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook (a term from Zora Neale Hurston’s “Characteristics of Negro Expression,” referring to spaces of leisure and expression), Heritage, Beauty, Cool, and Cosmopolitanism. These themes underscore the multifaceted nature of Black dandyism and its profound impact on fashion and culture.
Even more historic?
This is the first year the Met Gala will exclusively focus on work from Black designers, celebrating the elegance, artistry, and legacy woven into Black fashion history, from the age of colonialism to today’s global runways.
As a Black woman deeply connected to storytelling through style, this year’s theme feels personal. It honors the dignity, ingenuity, and quiet power that tailoring has always carried in our communities, long before the world paid attention. It's more than an exhibition. It's a homecoming.
Dress Code Alert: "Tailored for You"
The official dress code is “Tailored for You” — a fitting tribute to the exhibition’s focus on suiting, individuality, and craftsmanship. Expect to see creative interpretations of tailoring: sharp lines, avant-garde twists, luxurious fabrics, and a celebration of self-expression.
The Co-Chairs
If tailoring is this year’s theme, then the minds behind the Met Gala are the ones crafting the story. From the co-chairs to the public events, 2025’s Gala is a full-circle moment for culture, creativity, and community.
This year’s Met Gala co-chairs bring a powerful blend of style, culture, and influence: Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and, of course, Anna Wintour, with LeBron James stepping in as honorary chair.
In a revival of an old tradition, The Met is also introducing a Host Committee — a dream lineup of actors, artists, designers, athletes, musicians, and writers shaping culture today.
This year’s committee includes: André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens, Grace Wales Bonner, Jordan Casteel, Dapper Dan, Doechii, Ayo Edebiri, Edward Enninful, Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rashid Johnson, Regina King, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Audra McDonald, Janelle Monáe, Jeremy Pope, Angel Reese, Sha'Carri Richardson, Olivier Rousteing, Tyla, USHER, and Kara Walker.
The Tastemakers
The experience behind the scenes will be just as thoughtful.
Chef Kwame Onwuachi is curating the Gala menu, while artist Cy Gavin will lead the creative direction of the red carpet. Décor concepts will be brought to life by Derek McLane and Raúl Àvila, continuing the tradition of stunning, immersive visuals.
Programming & Events
In the spirit of making Superfine: Tailoring Black Style accessible beyond the carpet, The Met will roll out a series of public programs leading up to and following the Gala.
Highlights include:
Interdisciplinary panel discussions, walking tours, and hands-on workshops
A design competition for college students
A special film series later this fall, in collaboration with indie cinema Metrograph
Who Gets Invited? And How Can I Watch?
Wondering who makes it onto this legendary guest list?
The Met Gala typically welcomes a handpicked mix of designers, celebrities, artists, cultural icons, and industry leaders.
While attendance is by exclusive invite only, you can join the experience by tuning into livestreams on Vogue.com and various media platforms starting the evening of May 5!
Your Daily Guide to Dandyism & Black Style Power
As we countdown to the Met Gala, Fashion Talk will be diving deeper into the world of dandyism and the legacy of traditional Black men's style.
Each day this week, we'll explore the history, culture, and icons who shaped (and continue to shape) this rich, radical tradition.
Stay tuned as we celebrate the spirit, the style, and the stories behind Superfine: Tailoring Black Style!
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