Inside the Met Gala 2025 Exhibition

Marking the opening of The Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,’ the Met Gala takes place on the first Monday in May, May 5th, with the dress code “Tailored for You.

Forget trophies and acceptance speeches. At fashion’s most exclusive annual convergence, the true prize is a coveted invitation and the opportunity to command the world’s attention on the red carpet. Only a carefully curated list holds the golden ticket from cultural titans spanning film, the political arena, the music charts, and the pinnacles of power across industries. The night’s sole currency is sartorial impact, measured in the waves of applause and collective gasps. Attendees are challenged to transcend mere attire, transforming themselves into walking exhibitions that interpret the profound legacy of tailoring, particularly within Black style.

The first to arrive on the carpet included Whoopi Goldberg, Baz Luhrmann, Tramell Tillman, Pharrell Williams, Ruth E. Carter, Coco Jones, Ego Nwodim, Sydney Sweeney and Teyana Taylor, with many more to come.

Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Sadie Sink, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour are co-chairing the 2025 Met Gala, with LeBron James serving as an honorary chair.

André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jordan Casteel, Dapper Dan, Doechii, Ayo Edebiri, Edward Enninful, Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rashid Johnson, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Audra McDonald, Janelle Monáe, Jeremy Pope, Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, Tyla, Usher, and Kara Walker will serve as host committees.

Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition is structured into twelve sections, each exploring a defining characteristic of dandy style. These include Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook (a term referencing a space for leisure activities, as defined by Zora Neale Hurston), Heritage, Beauty, Cool, and Cosmopolitanism. This framework provides a deep dive into the exhibition’s core themes.

‘Superfine’ will feature garments, paintings, photographs, and more from artists including Torkwase Dyson, Tanda Francis, André Grenard Matswa, and Tyler Mitchell—all exploring the indelible style of Black dandies, from the 18th century through to the present day. 

The exhibition will be on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue from May 10 to October 26, 2025.