The 2025 Met Gala was a masterclass in style, storytelling and sartorial innovation. With this year’s theme, “Superfine, Tailoring Black Style,” the red carpet became a canvas where artistry met ancestral elegance. Celebrities honoured heritage, redefined luxury and embraced tailoring traditions that paid homage to Black fashion’s enduring legacy. From architectural suits to reinterpretations of Old Hollywood, the Met’s steps shimmered with bold silhouettes, daring textures and sharp cultural references.
The Bridgerton star delivered one of the evening’s most vibrant moments in a monochromatic all-red Brioni ensemble, elevating suiting with tonal layering and a soft romantic finish. The choice of red wasn’t just visually arresting, it symbolised power, love and daring, perfectly aligned with the night’s theme of bold self-expression.
Never one to shy away from the edge, Kim went full throttle in a head-to-toe Chrome Hearts leather look. The ensemble’s matrix-like structure was tough yet tailored, cinched at the waist with a corseted silhouette, blending biker chic with high fashion rebellion, a gothic nod to Black street style turned luxury.
In a rich green velvet Burberry suit, Cardi B flipped traditional femininity on its head. With oversized lapels and wide-legged trousers, her look channelled 1970s soul icons and Harlem jazz influences, both opulent and commanding, proving yet again that she can turn a suit into a statement.
Closing the carpet with a theatrical flourish, Rihanna made her grand entrance in a custom Marc Jacobs ensemble — a wool tailored jacket worn over a sculpted bustier and V-cut skirt. Her look referenced vintage tailoring, but with futuristic proportions. And in true Rihanna fashion, she used the moment to reveal her third pregnancy, stealing the show with both elegance and intention.
The couple brought dual sophistication, Usher in classic Ralph Lauren, and Jennifer Goicoechea in a sharply tailored Surgeo Hudson look that combined feminine edge with military precision. Their appearance embodied balance: timeless meets contemporary.
Teyana Taylor’s drama-filled Marc Jacobs look was anchored by an immense pleated crimson cape, hand-embroidered with the words “Harlem Rose.” The styling paid homage to her roots while embracing theatrical elegance — a bold ode to legacy, identity, and artistic defiance.
The Olympic icon Simone Biles opted for a soft yet sculptural blue Habison Studio gown, featuring a dramatic bow and flowing train. The sleeveless silhouette highlighted her strength and grace, while the delicate fabric and design elements spoke to a poised femininity that felt both regal and fresh.
In a statuesque ice-blue Bardot gown by Moncler, Serena Williams merged Old Hollywood glamour with modern elegance. Her look, topped with an oversized coat and perfectly waved golden hair, reimagined red carpet royalty through the lens of Black athletic power and feminine resilience.
Keke Palmer channeled silver screen icons in a sweeping white halter gown, featuring an extreme high slit and an even longer train. Paired with classic black peep-toe heels, the look was both daring and nostalgic, a balance of confidence and softness that resonated with the night’s theme.
The Dutch-Egyptian-Moroccan supermodel Imaan Hammam turned heads in a crisp white tailored suit by Magda Butrym. With strong shoulders, a cinched waist, and wide-leg trousers, Hammam gave high fashion executive energy — a masterclass in minimalism and structural impact.
Lewis Hamilton never disappoints. His custom ivory tuxedo by Wales Bonner was accented with ancestral beads, freshwater pearls, and garnet-hued diamonds. The look exuded spiritual elegance, purity, power and legacy intertwined. It was fashion as storytelling, masterfully styled by Eric McNeal.
Rebellious and radiant, Doja Cat wore an ’80s-punk inspired Marc Jacobs creation. She told Vogue the look drew from “Mother Africa,” reimagining cultural references through exaggerated volume, leather elements and fearless beauty. A standout for bold originality.
As a Chanel ambassador, Lupita Nyong’o graced the red carpet in a custom aquamarine lurex wool jacket, detailed with satin lapels and rooted in Chanel’s Fall-Winter 2015 couture collection. Her choice felt archival yet invigorated, a conversation between heritage and haute couture.
Whoopi Goldberg turned heads in a Thom Browne tuxedo-inspired gown, finished with a trompe l’oeil coat. It was playful yet profound, a merging of gendered fashion history with a modern twist. Her look subtly asked: Who says tailoring belongs to men?
Sabrina Carpenter brought a mischievous twist to tailoring with a pinstriped leotard and tailcoat by Louis Vuitton. Designed under Pharrell Williams’ menswear direction, her ensemble ditched pants entirely, a cheeky, commanding nod to power dressing without the extra fabric.
Colman Domingo is redefining red carpet menswear. Beneath a dramatic cape, he wore a black and butter checkered Valentino jacket, dripping in pearls and crystals. His look combined texture, colour and precision, Black masculinity draped in high-fashion finery.
Always in command, Zendaya delivered pure elegance in a cream Louis Vuitton suit, accessorised with a wide-brimmed hat. The sleek tailoring emphasised her statuesque form and the hat added a Southern Gothic twist. Less was more and everything.
The 2025 Met Gala was more than a fashion event — it was a statement. With “Superfine, Tailoring Black Style,” celebrities didn’t just show up; they showed out, affirming that tailoring is not just structure, but symbol of history, of culture, of presence. Each look was a chapter in a larger story: Black style as legacy, innovation and art.
Story by: Kelvin B. Annor-Yeboah | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by: Kelvin B. Annor-Yeboah
