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Black Dandyism on the Red Carpet
Teyana Taylor on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet, Red Carpet Fashion Awards
By Annie Ehm ‘27 in Spring 2025
Lights flash, and the public peers to see the front steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art transformed into a sea of carpet and paparazzi in anticipation of today's icons of music, film, and culture. Since 1948, the Met Gala has been an important fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute and marks the opening of the Gala’s new annual exhibit. As we reflect on the Met Gala 2025, the biggest night in fashion, let's look into this year's theme and the yearly exhibit that inspired it.
Every year, the Costume Institute opens a fashion exhibit that ranges from dedications to influential designers like 2023’s Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, and examinations of how culture converges with fashion, like 2015’s China: Through The Looking Glass. This year, the exhibit Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, is inspired by Monica L. Miller’s book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The exhibit explores the concept of Black Dandyism. Vogue described the dandy as “a man whose primary purpose was to stand out by being impeccably groomed and dressed.” Further, the Black dandy represents individuals who could precisely express their identity through their clothes and personal style, despite the cultural normalities of race and class, therefore pioneering an elegant form of resistance. The exhibit followed an evolution of Black style from the 18th century to the present day through a collection of art, photographs, archive pieces, and current works.
Colman Domingo at the 2025 Met Gala, Getty Images
Each year, The Gala has a dress code distinct from the exhibit theme. This year, the dress code, Tailored for You, invited multiple paths of interpretation. Firstly, guests could pull from suiting elements like lapels, ties, and strong shoulders or take on “Tailored” in a literal fashion by simply wearing well-tailored garments from gowns to suits. The less apparent interpretation of the theme is its room for personal expression: “For You” allows the guest to embed their own identity into their clothes, similar to the original values of dandyism. This year, the carpet was defined by the guests' use of unique accessories, elegant fabrics, and incredible structure. One standout guest was Colman Domingo, who arrived in a lush purple coat that revealed an impressive suit of many patterns, exquisite fabrics, and playful suit accessories. Another notable attendee was Teyana Taylor, who came dressed in a lavish red oversized coat and featured nods to the historical references for the theme and exhibit.
This year's Met Gala was refreshing; it held historical significance, created a change of pace, and inspired a generally very on-theme and original Gala. I hope individuals are encouraged to look into the historical relevance of the theme, visit the exhibit if given the chance, and appreciate the wonderful offerings of this year’s Met. Though it will be challenging to exceed the glamour of 2025’s Gala, I look forward to next year's exhibit and dress code and another year of fashion innovation.
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