Met Gala 2025: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. A Night of Elegance, Power, and Cultural Pride

On May 5th, the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art lit up with a different kind of glamour, one that honored heritage, individuality, and Black excellence. The 2025 Met Gala celebrated the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style“, spotlighting the artistry, history, and future of Black dandyism in fashion.

This year marked a rare and powerful focus on menswear, with the dress code, “Tailored for You”, encouraging guests to express themselves through personalized takes on traditional tailoring. But this wasn’t about rigid suits or recycled silhouettes. This was about identity stitched into every seam, legacy woven into every line.

What is Black Dandyism?

Inspired by the groundbreaking work of professor and author Monica L. Miller (Slaves to Fashion), the theme paid tribute to how Black men, and more broadly, the Black diaspora, have used fashion as resistance, pride, and self-expression throughout history. From 18th century elegance to zoot suits to the visionary work of designers like Virgil Abloh and Grace Wales Bonner, this was a story of style that speaks volumes.

The Exhibition: A Love Letter to Black Fashion

Opening to the public on May 10, the Costume Institute’s “Superfine” exhibition dives deep into 300 years of black style. With 150+ looks and artifacts ranging from 19th century livery to contemporary runways, it explores themes like Presence, Excellence, and Cosmopolitanism.

Visual artists like Torkwase Dyson, Tanda Francis, and photographer Tyler Mitchell helped bring the narrative to life, elevating the experience beyond fashion and into the realms of art, memory, and movement.