What to know about the 2025 Met Gala: ‘Tailoring Black Style’

The first Monday of May is almost upon us, and with it, designers, public figures and their stylists will be deep in preparations for one of the biggest fashion events of the year: the Met Gala. On the back of last year’s more florally-infused theme, ‘A Garden in Time’, this year, guests face the challenge of incorporating an important aspect of fashion history into their looks: Black dandyism. To get some insight into what to expect for May 5, FashionUnited has rounded up everything you need to know…

What is this year’s dress code?

‘Tailored for You’ marks what is to be one of the first Met Gala dress codes that places menswear at the heart of the event–notably, the last was 2003’s ‘Men in Skirts’ theme. It calls on guests to consider different takes on tailoring and suiting, yet is simply offered as a form of “guidance” rather than an instruction, leaving it open to interpretation.

What is the associated exhibition?

The dress code is informed by the theme of the Met’s associated exhibition, ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, which puts the history of Black dandyism at the front and centre. The term ‘dandy’ refers to an individual who “studies” to dress elegantly, and had resulted in a fashion trend that had, at one time, been imposed upon Black men in 18th-century Europe, referred to as “dandified servants”, the Met said in a release. It later became a tool for Black people to reclaim their identity through both clothing and a certain personality, the process of which will be depicted in a 12-section exhibition, each highlighting a different element of Black dandyism.

It is thus expected that many attendees of the Met Gala will not only consider the values and qualities of tailoring, but that they may possibly turn to Black menswear designers to help inform and create their designs.

Who is co-hosting this year?

For each Met Gala, a selection of fashionable A-listers take on the role of co-hosts alongside Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, who has chaired or co-chaired the event since 1995. This year, to reflect the theme of Black menswear fashion, Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton and A$AP Rocky have taken on the position, alongside Lebron James, who has been named honorary co-chair.

Next to helping choose the theme, co-hosts are also responsible for forming the guest list, selecting food and decor and aiding in fundraising, promoting and publicity efforts prior to and during the event. They will welcome guests onto the red carpet as the evening commences and, while not confirmed for this year, may also perform, as former co-hosts have done in the past.

Who will be attending?

The guest list for every Met Gala remains tightly under wraps up until the actual event, yet many rumours naturally begin circulating prior to the event. What has been confirmed by the Met is the individuals making up the host committee, a concept that is being reintroduced for this year. Among the many public figures included on the list are that of athletes like Simone Biles and Sha’Carri Richardson; musicians like Doechii, Tyla and Usher; actor Ayo Edebiri; and fashion designers Dapper Dan, Grace Wales Bonner and Olivier Rousteing.

In the way of attendees, highly anticipated names like Rihanna, Zendaya, Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande and Kim Kardashian have been thrown into the rumour mill. Any lists claiming the participation of certain celebrities, however, must always be approached with a pinch of salt.

Things to look out for…

Like the guest list, which celebrity will be on the arms of which designer is also up for speculation. While some attendees typically remain loyal to their ambassadorships, the recent creative musical chairs among some of the biggest fashion houses means some brands may be off limits, either due to having no creative head or a new one only recently installed.

According to some media outlets, Prada and Louis Vuitton are expected to have purchased tables at the event, and so they are anticipated on the red carpet. Burberry, meanwhile, has announced a collaboration with Zendaya’s ‘image architect’ Law Roach. The stylist will serve as a partner and consultant on the creative expression of this year’s theme for the British brand, and has further been tasked with curating the label’s Met Gala table. Who will make up this table is yet to be determined.