Ahead of the Met Gala, Stars Are Referencing André Leon Talley

Being a dandy is not just about having the right outfit. It’s a combination of “clothing, gesture and wit,” says Monica L. Miller, author of the book that inspired the 2025 Met Gala theme: Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. “I’m interested not only in the clothing,” she said in a talk on the subject. “But how the person occupies the clothing and makes it move through time and space.” No one epitomized this more than the late André Leon Talley.

This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” doubles as a tribute to Talley, the former Vogue editor-at-large whom Anna Wintour called a “dandy among dandies.” Championing meticulous dress, luxurious materials and sharp tailoring, Talley personified the well-adorned, always refined charm of a dandy. This is why, ahead of the 2025 Met Gala red carpet, stars have already begun to reference him.

When Doechii touched down in New York City this weekend, the first public statement she made was a recreation an iconic André Leon Talley photograph. The image she was referencing shows Talley surrounded by Louis Vuitton luggage—complete with a branded tennis racquet case—wearing a contagiously wide smile. In Doechii’s version, she kicks her foot in the air, capturing the essence of Talley’s exuberant elegance.

A day later, model Paloma Elsesser was pictured walking through New York wearing a brown jacket with a portrait of Talley painted on the back. On Instagram, she captioned the look “famine of beauty,” another reference to one of Talley’s most iconic quotes, in which he laments the aesthetic dullness in American fashion.

Indeed, Talley (who passed in 2022) was always in pursuit of taste. Famous for his opulent coats, fabulous furs and bright colours, he possessed not only the image of being well-dressed, but the knowledge to back it up. This is perhaps why, the morning of the Met Gala, co-host Colman Domingo also gave Talley his flowers, saying the look he wore to the 2024 Gala—which featured a cream-coloured cape—was a nod to Talley and his regal cloaks.

By definition, a dandy is someone who studies to dress elegantly and fashionably. “Anyone can be in vogue without an apparent strategy,” writes Miller. “But dandies commit to a study of the fashions that define them, and an examination of the trends around which they can continually redefine themselves.” Being a dandy is about celebrating self-expression. A theatrical pose here, a cheeky caption there—the meaning of modern-day dandyism takes great inspiration from Talley. And at the 2025 Met Gala red carpet, we’re sure to see even more references.