The Met Gala is SO back, baby – The 2025 Met Gala, a review.
Authors Note: Hiiii my lovelies! Now I know that the Met Gala was back at the beginning of May and this is being posted mid-July but this was coursework for school that's had at least five major re-edits and was only just handed in soooooo... but here you are!
Word Count: 1071
The Met Gala is SO back, baby – The 2025 Met Gala, a review.
Okay, I'll be honest - I cleared my entire Monday evening schedule faster than you can say "camp" (still traumatized by 2019's interpretations, don't @ me). A few Monday nights ago, I nestled myself in all the blankets I had in my room with a can of Pepsi Max I ended up spilling on myself, ready to witness fashion's most anticipated event (AKA my own personal Superbowl) transform the Metropolitan Museum of Art into a runway celebrating Black excellence.
Between deep diving into the possible cultural significance of every single stitch I saw and frantically screenshotting every single look the paparazzi released onto google for my Pinterest boards, the 2025 Met Gala had me more invested than the possible release dates for Taylor Swifts new album
I mean, A$AP Rocky went and casually dropped Rihanna's pregnancy news on the red (well, midnight blue carpet, technically speaking) carpet? Zendaya’s engagement ring flex? this wasn't just a fashion event - it was a masterclass in how to honour culture while serving absolute LOOKS.
I've been to exactly zero Met Galas in my lifetime (shocking, I know), but as someone whose browser history is 90% fashion blogs and has also been glared at by my mother more times than I can count for the amount of vinted packages that show up at my house, I think I know what I’m talking about.
Understanding “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” (Or: Why I spent Three hours in a Wikipedia rabbit hole)
Listen, when I first heard this year's theme was "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," I did what any reasonable fashion obsessesed person would do, I immediately ordered Monica L. Miller's "Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity" at 2 AM. And here's the thing: this theme was absolutely genius and criminally overdue. We're talking about celebrating a movement that literally used fashion as revolution - men who said, "you know what, society might try to diminish us, but have you SEEN these lapels?" It's the history of sharp-dressed resistance, from Harlem's jazz age legends who could make a three-piece suit look like armor, to the zoot suit culture of the 1940s that was so powerful it literally caused riots (yes, really, look it up).
What got me most excited was how this theme finally put menswear in the spotlight - something we haven't seen since 2003, back when people though denim-on-denim was peak fashion (we don't talk about that era). It was like the Met finally said, "You know what? Let's celebrate the fact that masculine elegance can be just as show-stopping as any ballgown." And honestly, after years of watching people completely miss the assignment (cough 2018's "Catholic Imagination" cough), seeing attendees actually understand and honour the cultural significance while serving absolute perfection?
Chef's kiss. My Pinterest boards have never been happier.
The Stand-Out Moments That Had Me Screaming At My TV
Let's talk about the looks that made me pause my Instagram scrolling and actually pay attention. Pharrell Williams, who was one of this year's co-chairs AND Louis Vuitton's men's creative director, absolutely understood the assignment in a way that honestly had me gagged. The man basically walked on that carpet like he owned it (which, let's be honest, he kind of did). And can we please discuss Lewis Hamilton? Using Barkley L. Hendricks paintings of People of Colour surrounded by full white as the inspiration was, like, THE move to make in all honesty.
But the real tea? Watching people like Colman Domingo embody the essence of Black dandyism while making it completely his own was pure poetry in motion. That royal blue Valentino cape with golden sequin embellishments, evoking both choir robes and the blue capes worn by Andre Leon Talley. And then him revealing that checkered Valentino suit underneath that? (Honestly I was gagged). I found myself frantically googling historical references mid-gala because these looks were sending me down research rabbit holes faster than a Wikipedia binge at 3 AM.
And then there's the supporting cast that absolutely delivered. Bad Bunny showing up and reminding everyone that Latin excellence fits perfectly within this celebration? Chef's kiss. Diana Ross being Diana Ross and making everyone else look like they were trying too hard? Iconic behavior, honestly. The woman could show up in a grocery bag and still be the moment.
The Hits, Misses and “Wait, what?” Moments.
Now, I'm not going to sit here and pretend everyone nailed it (this is a judgment-free zone, but also, I have eyes). Some attendees clearly did their homework, you could practically see the mood boards and historical references they'd studied. Others... well, let's just say some people (ahem, Jeremy Allen White) heard "tailoring" and thought "throw on literally any suit and call it a day." Bless their hearts.
The real winners were the ones who understood that this wasn't just about looking expensive (though let's be real, everything was expensive). It was about storytelling through fabric, celebrating a legacy through silhouette, and honestly just showing some respect for the culture being honored.
I also have to give props to the designers who clearly understood the assignment. Seeing established fashion houses collaborate with Black designers and historians to create authentic, respectful interpretations was everything. It felt like the industry actually listened for once, instead of just surface-level appropriation dressed up in expensive fabric.
Final Thoughts: Why This Met Gala Actually Mattered
As I sit here, still processing everything and probably needing to charge my phone after a night of constant screenshotting, I can't help but feel like this Met Gala was kind of exactly what we needed. Not just fashion-wise (though the looks were immaculate), but culturally. It really reminded the fashion world that concept of fashion has never just been pretty clothes - it's history, it's resistance, it's art, it's identity.
However, will I still judge Met Gala attendees in 2057 based on their look from this year's Gala? Absolutely. Will I continue to clear my schedule every first Monday in May to live-tweet my reactions from my couch? You bet. But more importantly, will I remember this as the gala that finally got it right, that honored a culture while serving looks that made my fashion-obsessed heart sing?
Without question.
Until next year Met Gala, you've set the bar impossibly high, and I'm so here for it.
