the winners of the met.
This past Monday was the first Monday of May, formally known as Met Gala day. If you didn’t already know, The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser held for the benefit of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. What once started as a formal dinner attended by New York socialites has now turned into fashion’s biggest night. And the 2025 Met Gala continued this legacy fabulously.
“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the upcoming Costume Institute at the Met, celebrates the Black Dandy, and explores the importance of clothing and style to the formation of Black Identities in the Atlantic diaspora. So who is the Black Dandy? To put it quite plainly, black dandyism is not only an aesthetic, but a cultural movement where Black people use personal style as a form of self expression and a way to challenge societal limitations. If you want a more in depth answer, Vogue lays it all out here.
I'm a huge Met Gala fan. The first Met Gala I was conscious of was in 2014 for a certain infamous elevator moment…However, the next year I was fully tuned in for the fashion. The theme? China: Through the Looking Glass. The best look? Rihanna. Who was she wearing? Guo Pei, who handmade the gown in two years. Iconic. Other notable Met years, in my opinion:
2016: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
Iconic moment: Taylor Swift’s bleach blonde cut
2018: Heavenly Bodies Fashion and The Catholic Imagination
Iconic moment: That video + Zendaya’s Joan of Arc
2019: Camp: Notes on Fashion
Iconic moment: Lady Gaga’s epic entrance
Honorable Mention: Karlie Kloss.
So when Vogue announced that this year’s gala would be centered around black style, you bet your ass I was excited. In the months leading up to Monday it was all I could think about. From the announcements of co-chairs Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, Pharrell Williams, and A$AP Rocky, to the Vogue May issue rollout, my excitement grew more and more. Here’s who I think really nailed it this year:
“I’M ROOTING FOR EVERYONE BLACK”
Issa Rae said it best.
Diana Ross in Ugo Mozie
Lewis Hamilton in Wales Bonner
Ayo Edebiri in Ferragamo
Coco Jones in Manish Malhorta
Lauryn Hill in Stella McCartney
Keith Powers in BOSS
Jodi Turner-Smith in Burberry
Lupita Nyong’o in Chanel
THE GAP
The best decision Gap made was appointing Zac Posen as creative director. They deserve that “The” back. When The Gap teased they were dressing someone for the big night I had a few guesses: Zendaya? Da’vine Joy Randolph? Yara Shahidi? But I was pleasantly surprised the mystery woman was my street fashion icon Laura Harrier. Maybe this will open doors for a future collaboration…More on this next week.
RUTH E. CARTER
If you don’t already know the legendary Ruth E. Carter, you better familiarize yourself with the name. The two time Oscar winner is best known for her frequent collaborations with Spike Lee, as well designing costumes for the Black Panther films. Fresh off the success of Sinners, Carter brought her talents to the blue carpet. And boy did she bring it.
SWARVOSKI
For the first time last year, Swarovski custom made five couture looks for the Garden of Time Met. This year global director, Giovanna Engelbert, tapped Adut Akech, Alex Consani, and Sora Choi to join her on the carpet with four new custom looks. And if you want my opinion, not enough people were talking about this quartet. In addition to the girls, Swarovski was also responsible for Damson Idris’s crystalized F1 helmet and FKA Twigs embroidered drop waist. In short, if it was sparkling, it was Swarovski.
THOM BROWNE
Each year one luxury brand tends to emerge victorious by the end of the night. And without a doubt Thom Browne was the victor for 2025. It should be no surprise the brand known for reimagining the traditional suit would completely nail the “Tailored for You” theme. While I was sad to see frequent collaborators, Ayo Edebri and Doechii, in other designers, the attendees who were donned in Thom Browne caught my eye.
