The Most Notable, On-Theme Looks at This Year’s Met Gala

The theme for this year’s Met Gala — and corresponding Costume Institute exhibition — is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired by Dr. Monica L. Miller’s book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. (Miller also served as a guest curator for the show, alongside Costume Institute curator in charge Andrew Bolton.) This is the first time in decades that the fashion event, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and helmed by Vogue’s Anna Wintour, has had a menswear-focused theme. The exhibition explores the singular style of Black dandies from the 18th century to today, spotlighting African American history and craftsmanship and celebrating the transformative role of clothing within Black identities.

Guests were asked to respect a dress code described by Wintour as “Tailored for You,” which Vogue described as a “nod to the exhibition’s focus on menswear and suiting that’s sure to bring out the sartorial creativity of this year’s attendees.”

The best looks on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet honoured the power of cultural expression, including rather literal interpretations, alongside more artistic statements.

Met Gala co-chairs Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky and Pharrell Williams all made appearances, with Domingo looking particularly dapper in Valentino. F1 star Hamilton also nailed the theme in a cream suit by Wales Bonner.

Fashion fans were surely bummed to see the Met Gala red carpet 2025 skipped by favourites like Sarah Jessica Parker and Beyoncé (whose Cowboy Carter tour schedule conflicts with this year’s soirée). Met red carpet regular Blake Lively also stayed home.

Read on for the best  interpretations of this year’s dress code on the Met Gala 2025 red carpet.

Lewis Hamilton

The F1 star and event co-chair wore custom cream tailoring by British designer Wales Bonner, embellishing his cropped blazer with an elaborate diamond and pearl brooch. The look was accessorized with a tonal beret and blinding diamonds on this pinky and earlobes.

Colman Domingo

The Met Gala co-chair kicked the red carpet off with a dazzle — and a nod to legendary Vogue editor-at-large, André Leon Talley whom Wintour once called a “dandy among dandies.” Domingo arrived in a regal cobalt blue cloak by Valentino that could have been plucked from ALT’s collection. Underneath, the Euphoria star revealed a playful suit, also by Valentino, that cheekily combined patterns and textures for a delightfully dandy result. Hat tip to his polka dot kerchief-as-a-tie and oversized boutonnière.

Pharrell Williams

As both a co-chair for the fashion party and Louis Vuitton’s creative director for menswear, a job he’s held since 2023, Pharrell Williams had to deliver on the “Tailoring for you” dress code. Williams opted for an LV suit with boot-cut tailored black pants (the Kendrick Lamar effect?) and a textural double-breasted blazer with sharp lapels. He accessorized with black sunglasses and loafers, along with minimal Tiffany & Co. jewels.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson’s sculptural Met Gala look by Tory Burch was sparsely accessorized, with the Canadian actor (and former FASHION cover star) wearing but a single ear cuff and stud, both from Pandora (the cuff included 24 carats of Lab-Grown Diamonds repurposed from her 2024 debut Met Gala look). Her beauty look was a standout — those new cropped bangs and fresh bob! — and she was fresh-faced as usual, save a kiss of peach blush.

Teyana Taylor

Teyana Taylor’s doesn’t hold back on the red carpet and the 2025 Met Gala was no exception with the singer-songwriter opting for opulent menswear layers, a red velvet overcoat with exaggerated shoulders, red leather gloves and top hat and a cane. And while this goes against the old “before you leave the house, take one thing off” adage, it totally works. The custom Marc Jacobs look was co-designed by legendary costume designer Ruth E. Carter (who made the costumes for Black Panther).

Zendaya

Not everyone can pull off a cream suit, complete with matching tie and hat, but Zendaya isn’t just anyone. As one of the Met Gala’s most highly anticipated guests, the pressure is always on for the star (and her longtime stylist, Law Roach). With this ultra-precise tailoring by Louis Vuitton and the Studio 54 vibes (Bianca Jagger, anyone?), she understood the assignment.

Zoë Saldaña

Fresh off her Oscars win, Zoë Saldaña ascended the floral Met Gala steps in crisply tailored Thom Browne. Styled by Petra Flannery, the outfit played with proportions, like exaggerated hips and a floor-skimming skirt, and a surprise peekaboo back with an oversized bow that, when contrasted with the sharp menswear collar and pinstripes, gave drama and not “bridal.”

Bad Bunny

A Bad Bunny red carpet look is always a treat and this custom Prada moment nailed the brief, combining immaculate tailoring (and another cropped blazer) with charming creative references, like a woven hat that nods to his Puerto Rican heritage. And those sequin-encrusted leather gloves? Just dandy.

Dua Lipa

The singer and newly appointed face of the Chanel 25 handbag stunned in custom Chanel as she made her red carpet debut with rumoured fiancée Callum Turner. Lipa has worn some memorable Met Gala looks over the years (like the fall 1992 Chanel haute couture gown, originally worn by Claudia Schiffer on the runway, in honour of Karl Lagerfeld in 2023) and this elaborate black sheer-and-feathered frock will surely be added to the list. According to Vogue, it took 2,000 hours to make and features 45,000 embroidered elements.

Sydney Sweeney

At first glance, it was easy to wonder whether Sweeney’s black sequin gown with keyhole cut-out was on-theme. But when interviewed on the red carpet, the actor explained that her look was a nod to Kim Novak, whom she portrays in Colman Domingo’s directorial debut Scandalous!, an upcoming film about Novak’s relationship with Sammy Davis, Jr. in the 1950s.

Walton Goggins

It’s safe to say that Walton Goggins is having a moment. The White Lotus and Righteous Gemstones star has long been an acting fave, and now he’s being embraced by the fashion world, appearing on the pages of major fashion magazines — and attending his first Met Gala. Clad in a Thom Browne outfit consisting of a blazer and deconstructed pleated maxi-skirt, we suspect Goggings might be invited back.

Tracee Ellis Ross

No one has more fun on a red carpet than Tracee Ellis Ross. And she comes by it honestly — her mom Diana Ross was an OG at Studio 54 and longtime friend of André Leon Talley, after all. For this year’s Met Gala, TER wore a custom Marc Jacobs suit in shades of red and pink. The suit’s exaggerated proportions were accentuated by a magenta waist sash that exploded into a giant bow down her backside.

Cynthia Erivo

After spending most of 2024 on the red carpet promoting her film Wicked in various shades of Elphaba green, Erivo showed up at the Met Gala in a custom crystal-covered Givenchy creation by Sarah Burton. Ahead of the evening, Erivo shared a series of reference photos on social media of famous Black dandies, including Prince and ALT.

Jodie Turner-Smith

The actress had one of the best looks of the night in layers of merlot by Burberry that one Instagram commenter called “exquisite.” From the dramatic leather coat with bustle to the top hat placed just so, the look was pitch-perfect.

A$AP Rocky

The Met Gala co-chair wore custom Awge and a fancy diamond-tipped Briony Raymond umbrella, but he was decidedly missing something during his appearance on the carpet, or rather someone — his longtime partner, Rihanna, who showed up much, much later (when many had given up hope of her appearing.)

Rihanna

Rihanna loves a pregnancy reveal. For the public unveiling of her third baby bump, she opted for Marc Jacobs: a corseted, deconstructed suit with a bustle made of twisted jacket sleeves. A wide-brimmed hat and polka-dot necktie finished the look—along with the satisfaction of another slam-dunk Met appearance.

Doechii

As FASHION’s Liz Guber put it on the Met Gala Slack, “EVERYONE had Doechii pegged to wear Thom Browne and she wore Louis Vuitton instead.” The darling of the fashion and music worlds always surprises on the red carpet and this cheeky look (like, literally: she had “LV” embossed on her cheek — a nod to the luxury house’s forthcoming beauty line?) was a delight, down to the cigar-as-accessory and knee socks.

Ayo Edebiri

Edebiri was a knockout on the Met Gala floral carpet, wearing custom Ferragamo and styled by longtime stylist Danielle Goldberg. A masterclass in sleek tailoring, the look was anchored by a white collared dress decorated with red beads and topped with a floor-sweeping leather suit jacket. She accessorized with sheer opera gloves. “This is inspired by my dad, my grandfather, and tailoring,” said Edebiri in a red carpet interview.

Patrick Schwarzenegger

Saxon, who? The White Lotus star ditched his on-screen persona’s preppy polo shirts for a high fashion pinstripe suit by Balmain and a yellow silk blouson. In case you were wondering, this isn’t Schwarzenegger’s first Met Gala — he attended in 2022 and 2019.

Doja Cat

Doja served feline realness in a custom Marc Jacobs hot-pants look complete with a fuzzy tiger-print breastplate and ultra-wide shoulders that channelled the 1988 film Coming to America.

Regé-Jean Page

The Bridgerton star was striking in head-to-toe red, including a bold crimson trench coat. Page jazzed up his tailored outfit with a jaw-dropping jewel Tiffany & Co. brooch, but kept his jewellery otherwise minimal with huggie earrings and thin rings.

Lupita Nyong’o

Nyong’o’s Chanel suit was reminiscent of the same pale blue Prada gown she wore to collect a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for in 2014. The red carpet veteran topped her tailored look with an ethereal sheer cape, playful chapeau and bedazzled brows.

Janelle Monáe

When it comes to Monáe’s red carpet looks, there are rarely any notes. And this year’s Met Gala theme and dress code feel pretty perfect for the boundary-breaking, gender-bending singer and actor who tends to favour suiting. For the fashion party, Monáe returned to a go-to designer, Thom Browne. “She truly is the modern day dandy,” the designer said in a red carpet interview.

Kim Kardashian

For her twelfth Met Gala, the Skims founder wore all-over leather in an embossed, curve-hugging gown and matching fedora by Chrome Hearts. She further accessorized with a string of pearls slung across her hip like a wallet chain.

Chappell Roan

The “Pink Pony Club” singer made her Met Gala debut in a magenta patchwork suit. Per Vogue, Roan worked with Paul Tazewell, Wicked’s costume designer, to source something from eBay, with Tazewell landing on the glittery pink suit and matching feathered cape.