The seams of high society strained Monday evening as fashion’s elite ascended the iconic Metropolitan Museum steps, their frames impeccably encased in bespoke tailoring and architectural precision for the 2025 Met Gala, fashion’s most prestigious fundraising spectacle. Presided over by Vogue’s Anna Wintour, this year’s Met Gala theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” marked the first menswear-centric directive since the 2003 Met Gala, challenging the star-studded Met Gala guest list to button up, or brilliantly subvert, classic notions of the well-dressed gentleman.
The Costume Institute’s freshly pressed exhibition, unveiled at the annual Met Gala, spotlights the transformative power of the “black dandy” aesthetic, which Vogue defines as “pivotal to the formation of black identities across the Atlantic diaspora.” As Met Gala co-chairs and A-listers including Zendaya, Demi Moore, and Diana Ross strutted across the Met Gala’s signature blue carpet, each stitch and lapel told stories of cultural reclamation through the needle’s eye of haute couture. The First Monday in May, long established as the Met Gala’s hallowed date, once again transformed the museum’s grand entrance into the world’s most photographed Met Gala runway.
Image courtesy: Instagram @Teyanataylor
Image courtesy: Instagram @TeyanataylorTeyana Taylor: Harlem’s Burgundy Bloom
Teyana Taylor, who commanded Vogue’s live coverage of the evening, arrived in bespoke Marc Jacobs, escorted by acclaimed costume designer Ruth E. Carter—the creative force behind Spike Lee’s visual narrative and the aesthetic universe of Black Panther. Taylor’s burgundy cape, embroidered with “Harlem Rose,” elegantly nodded to her 2018 musical declaration, “A Rose in Harlem.”
Image courtesy: Instagram @chanelofficial
Image courtesy: Instagram @chanelofficialJennie’s Rear-View Revelation
Jennie appeared in quintessential black and white Chanel, an expected yet exquisite choice for the maison’s ambassador. However, her true pièce de résistance revealed itself only upon her turning: beneath her jaunty chapeau, a delightful hair bow, simultaneously simple and sophisticated, offered a feminine interpretation of the evening’s tailoring imperative.
Image courtesy: Instagram @zendaya
Image courtesy: Instagram @zendayaZendaya’s Monochromatic Mastery
Zendaya, perpetual sovereign of red carpet ingenuity, embraced the theme with a wide-brimmed hat and immaculately tailored Louis Vuitton cream suit—a study in pristine monochromatic elegance.
Image courtesy: Instagram @kimkardashian
Image courtesy: Instagram @kimkardashianKim Kardashian: Leather and Luminescence
Reality television’s perennial fashion provocateur, Kim Kardashian, donned an obsidian ensemble by Los Angeles atelier Chrome Hearts—a form-fitting leather composition juxtaposed with diamond necklaces and dual strands of pearls.
Image courtesy: Instagram @louisvuitton
Image courtesy: Instagram @louisvuittonSabrina Carpenter’s Burgundy Bouleversement
Sabrina Carpenter sported a burgundy Louis Vuitton bodysuit that incorporated all the architectural precision of traditional suiting while defying conventional silhouettes.
Image courtesy: Instagram @chapellroan
Image courtesy: Instagram @chapellroanChappell Roan: Vintage Vivacity
Singer Chappell Roan introduced a rare chromatic explosion to the evening’s proceedings in a patchwork fuchsia ensemble sourced from eBay. Her collaboration with “Wicked” costume designer Paul Tazewell, combined with makeup artist Pat McGrath’s disco-inspired vision, produced a look both nostalgic and revolutionary.
Image courtesy: Instagram @demimoore
Image courtesy: Instagram @demimooreDemi Moore’s Literal Interpretation
Demi Moore delivered an exercise in sartorial literalism, appearing as a physical manifestation of menswear’s most iconic accessory in a sculptural black and white striped sequin gown by Thom Browne.
Image courtesy: Instagram @ririgalbadd
Image courtesy: Instagram @ririgalbaddRihanna’s Maternal Magnificence
Perennial Met Gala luminary Rihanna returned to the hallowed steps in Marc Jacobs, simultaneously unveiling her third pregnancy alongside evening co-chair A$AP Rocky.
Image courtesy: Instagram @lalalalisa_m
Image courtesy: Instagram @lalalalisa_mLISA’s Pantless Panache
“Rockstar” artist LISA made her Met Gala debut a memorable one, ascending the Metropolitan Museum’s blue carpeted steps in a sparkling Louis Vuitton blazer, bodysuit, and tights ensemble, complemented by a statement handbag adorned with pearl embellishments.
Image courtesy: Instagram @dianaross
Image courtesy: Instagram @dianarossDiana Ross: Feathered Familial Tribute
Music icon Diana Ross arrived in a breathtaking white creation featuring dramatic featherwork and an extensive train requiring multiple handlers. Making her first Met Gala appearance since 2003 at her son’s encouragement, Ross revealed her garment’s train bore the embroidered names of her children and grandchildren.
Andre 3000’s Instrumental Innovation
In perhaps the evening’s most avant-garde presentation, Andre 3000 arrived with a black and white piano secured to his back and, in a subversive twist on traditional accessories, a trash bag serving as his purse. The OutKast luminary designed the boundary-pushing ensemble in collaboration with Burberry.
