The Met Gala 2025, held today May 5 at the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York, focuses on the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, an exploration of black dandism as a form of cultural expression and identity. This theme was inspired by the 2009 Book of Monica L. Miller, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the styling of Black Diasporic Identity, which analyzes how black men have used fashion to affirm their autonomy and resistance to historical oppression.
The exhibition, co-curated by Miller and Andrew Bolton, was structured around twelve characteristics of black dandism, based on the 1934 Zora Hurston Zora essay, “The Characteristics of Negro Expression.” Through garments, accessories, paintings, photographs and fragments of films, it was illustrated how the black population went from being stylized as luxury objects during slavery to becoming autonomous individuals who mark world trends.
Met gala dress code
The gala clothing code, “Tailored for You”, emphasizes the importance of tailoring in the style and identity of black communities. This approach underlines how the act of dressing with elegance has been a form of resistance and a declaration of power and cultural pride.
The MET Gala 2025 marks a milestone as it is the first time that the suit institute focused exclusively on the work of color designers and male fashion in more than two decades. This initiative reflects a commitment to the diversification of the exhibitions and the correction of historical biases in the curatorial practice of the museum.
The gala, considered the “fashion Óscar”, also served as a platform to raise funds for the suit institute, supporting future educational exhibitions and programs. This event not only celebrates fashion, but also highlights the role of clothing as a means of political and cultural expression.
