Stars to lean into Met Gala’s 2025 theme: ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’
Hello! Ellie and Morwenna from the Guardian’s style table right here in London. We’ll be staring at the Met Gala – style’s Oscars/Baftas/Olympics – so that you don’t must, guiding you in the course of the possible hits and imaginable misses from a starry visitor checklist which contains Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, and more than one Jenner/Kardashians.
To recap on what you’re staring at: as ever, the Met Gala takes position at the first Monday in May as the outlet of New York’s Costume Institute exhibition. There is at all times a theme, and generally some type of accompanying textual content, and this yr’s it’s known as “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which is able to glance again at 300 years of Black style along the historical past of Black dandyism.
To get you up to the mark, do have a learn of this sensible piece by way of the Guardian’s Sasha Mistlin from previous this week. Last month, Sasha interviewed Monica L. Miller, whose 2009 e-book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, interrogates of the strategic use of favor by way of Black males all the way through historical past, which is the muse at the back of each the exhibition and gala.
The theme is notable for more than a few causes, no longer least as it’s the Met’s first ever style exhibition faithful fully to designers of color so is being seen by way of some as a much broader effort to include extra variety into the gathering. It’s well timed too. Previous galas had been criticised for being tone-deaf, little greater than peacocking, and a parade of privilege and elitism.
In her preview piece for the Saturday paper, Jess Cartner-Morley describes this yr’s theme as an “intellectually minded celebration of diversity [which] lands at a moment when the Trump administration is pushing back robustly against both diversity and intellectualism”.
However you view it, the development itself has large cultural and superstar cachet, helped no finish by way of Anna Wintour and her assembled co-hosts: Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, ASAP Rocky and Pharrell Williams with LeBron James because the honorary chair.
This is to hand given the primary thrust of the gala is getting cash. A decision visitor checklist of designers, celebrities and different notables can have purchased tickets or a desk at nice price. An particular person price tag is $75,000, or over £55,ooo, whilst a desk of ten is going for greater than 1 / 4 of one million kilos. Donations additionally roll in from donors. Proceeds then pass to the Costume Institute, which depends at the gala for its primary running prices, despite the fact that it’s value point out that the gala itself prices numerous placed on too … The gala’s arrival is fleeting: stars arrive, stroll up the steps, and disappear inside of. There is a celebration with dinner and track, extra on what that comes to later. And there’s nearly at all times Rihanna.
Fashion-wise, what does that imply? We can most likely be expecting some radical tailoring, just a little menswear-as-womenswear, flamboyant spins at the fashionable dandy and a various raft of designers. But what we wish to see is a party of favor at its maximum multicultural, expressive and absurd. Fashion as excessive artwork.
We all know that the purple carpet is now an economic system unto itself, a surprisingly cultivated branding workout for celebrities and advertising device by way of the fad trade constructed on an phantasm that the robes and dandy fits are an expression of a celeb’s non-public taste when in reality, they’ve been picked by way of a stylist. But that doesn’t forestall it being superb to look at.
Key occasions
A non-red carpet for style’s greatest evening
Morwenna Ferrier
A phrase in regards to the purple carpet: it’s hardly purple. Last yr it was once inexperienced and white, and this yr it’s middle of the night blue, and dotted with hyper-realistic daffodils to check the pretend floral hedge backdrop. The entire factor is then laid over the staircase main as much as The Metropolitan Museum.
You may have observed them in Gossip Girl, The Thomas Crown Affair or Sex and the City. They have been simplest in-built 1975 however have lengthy transcended their authentic objective as an front to turn into an iconic piece of New York infrastructure and what Elle Deco calls, “New York’s front porch”.
Here’s a perfect quote from Town & Country by way of former Costume Institute curator, Harold Koda, who describes them as “like a ziggurat leading up to a building four blocks long. Walking up to the entrance was, for someone interested in art, like scaling the Acropolis.”

Morwenna Ferrier
Here’s Teyana Taylor in customized Marc Jacobs. What a glance: a 3 piece homage to the Zoot swimsuit (observe the high-waisted, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers) with pillowy shoulders, platform heels and a cape with the phrases: Harlem Rose. Under that hat is a satin durag too.
A daring, provocative getup that subverts gender stereotypes whilst being just a little bit provocative. I simply hope she stored the cape out of the rain.

Ellie Violet Bramley
Last yr he wore paintings by way of the clothier Willy Chavarria and namechecked the overdue André Leon Talley as an inspiration at the back of the glance. This yr, indubitably, indubitably that vivid blue cloak is a connection with Talley’s personal Met Gala glance from 2011 when the theme was once Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.
But we’re most probably in for much more sartorial treats from the Met Gala co-chair because the evening is going on. Domingo is reportedly taking part with Alessandro Michele, the Italian ingenious director of Valentino, for his purple carpet appears this yr and has hinted that he’s going to put on a couple of outfit representing ‘great moments in tailoring for men of colour’.”
LeBron James bows out of Met Gala because of damage

Morwenna Ferrier
Uh oh, time for the gala’s first set again: only some hours earlier than he was once because of step onto the stairs as an honorary chair, LeBron James has sponsored out because of damage sustained throughout first spherical of the NBA playoffs.
“Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won’t be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on! Hate to miss an historical event!” he wrote on X. King of the tunnel ‘fit, James was named an honorary chair for the event. Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo and A$AP Rocky are however still set to serve as chairs.
This combination of photos show Anna Wintour, from top left, Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, from bottom left, A$AP Rocky, who will serve as co-chairs, and LeBron James, who will serve as honorary chair for the 2025 Met Gala. (AP Photo) Photograph: AP
One of six athletes named to the committee, James’ damage was once later identified as a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Some fanatics have been unclear as to why he couldn’t attend, despite the fact that a snappy look on the choice of steps he’d must take will have to solution that. More at the staircase quickly.

Ellie Violet Bramley
One factor we will be able to be expecting from this yr’s set up is the fabulous, looming presence of the overdue André Leon Talley to be performed out at the purple carpet and past. He was once, as Anna Wintour wrote in Vogue closing month, “a dandy among dandies and he radiated joy.”
Once US Vogue’s editor-at-large and Wintour’s right-hand guy, earlier than she reportedly “threw him under the bus”, his Met Gala get-ups – in reality his get-u.s.generally (he wore complete Louis Vuitton to play tennis) – have been by no means inconspicuous or boring, so are certain to offer plentiful inspiration this night.
It was once, Wintour wrote, “his instinct for self-presentation” that made him so fantastic. “He understood that, especially as a Black man, what you wore told a story about you, about your history, about self-respect. And so, for André, getting dressed was an act of autobiography, and also mischief and fantasy, and so much else at once.”
He gave up attending the Met Gala himself, writing in his explosive memoir, The Chiffon Trenches, how he left his ultimate Met Gala mid-evening: “I stood up. Vera Wang asked where I was going; I told her the men’s room, but instead I swept and swirled down the back corridors of the Met to my waiting car. On the way home, I swore to myself: I will never attend another Anna Wintour Met Gala for the rest of my life.” But his legacy will live to tell the tale this night.
Anna Wintour leaves lodge below 5 umbrellas amid downpour in New York

Ellie Violet Bramley
We have had our first Anna Wintour recognizing of the night.
Footage has emerged by the use of a popular culture account on X of the Vogue editor-in-chief leaving her lodge below the duvet of no longer one however at one level, by way of our depend, 5 umbrellas. Rain and bobs that impeccable obviously don’t combine.
Stars to lean into Met Gala’s 2025 theme: ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’
Hello! Ellie and Morwenna from the Guardian’s style table right here in London. We’ll be staring at the Met Gala – style’s Oscars/Baftas/Olympics – so that you don’t must, guiding you in the course of the possible hits and imaginable misses from a starry visitor checklist which contains Zendaya, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, and more than one Jenner/Kardashians.
To recap on what you’re staring at: as ever, the Met Gala takes position at the first Monday in May as the outlet of New York’s Costume Institute exhibition. There is at all times a theme, and generally some type of accompanying textual content, and this yr’s it’s known as “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which is able to glance again at 300 years of Black style along the historical past of Black dandyism.
To get you up to the mark, do have a learn of this sensible piece by way of the Guardian’s Sasha Mistlin from previous this week. Last month, Sasha interviewed Monica L. Miller, whose 2009 e-book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, interrogates of the strategic use of favor by way of Black males all the way through historical past, which is the muse at the back of each the exhibition and gala.
The theme is notable for more than a few causes, no longer least as it’s the Met’s first ever style exhibition faithful fully to designers of color so is being seen by way of some as a much broader effort to include extra variety into the gathering. It’s well timed too. Previous galas had been criticised for being tone-deaf, little greater than peacocking, and a parade of privilege and elitism.
In her preview piece for the Saturday paper, Jess Cartner-Morley describes this yr’s theme as an “intellectually minded celebration of diversity [which] lands at a moment when the Trump administration is pushing back robustly against both diversity and intellectualism”.
However you view it, the development itself has large cultural and superstar cachet, helped no finish by way of Anna Wintour and her assembled co-hosts: Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, ASAP Rocky and Pharrell Williams with LeBron James because the honorary chair.
This is to hand given the primary thrust of the gala is getting cash. A decision visitor checklist of designers, celebrities and different notables can have purchased tickets or a desk at nice price. An particular person price tag is $75,000, or over £55,ooo, whilst a desk of ten is going for greater than 1 / 4 of one million kilos. Donations additionally roll in from donors. Proceeds then pass to the Costume Institute, which depends at the gala for its primary running prices, despite the fact that it’s value point out that the gala itself prices numerous placed on too … The gala’s arrival is fleeting: stars arrive, stroll up the steps, and disappear inside of. There is a celebration with dinner and track, extra on what that comes to later. And there’s nearly at all times Rihanna.
Fashion-wise, what does that imply? We can most likely be expecting some radical tailoring, just a little menswear-as-womenswear, flamboyant spins at the fashionable dandy and a various raft of designers. But what we wish to see is a party of favor at its maximum multicultural, expressive and absurd. Fashion as excessive artwork.
We all know that the purple carpet is now an economic system unto itself, a surprisingly cultivated branding workout for celebrities and advertising device by way of the fad trade constructed on an phantasm that the robes and dandy fits are an expression of a celeb’s non-public taste when in reality, they’ve been picked by way of a stylist. But that doesn’t forestall it being superb to look at.