“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is The Met Gala 2025 Theme

An exploration of Black Dandyism and its profound influence on fashion, identity and culture, the Costume Institute’s Spring 2025 Exhibition delves into the historical significance of style as a form of resistance and self-expression.

“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is The Met Gala 2025 Theme

On the first Monday in May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute hosts its annual fundraiser — an event that effortlessly and powerfully blends fashion, celebrity, and philanthropy. Known for attracting the world’s most charismatic guests and raising eight-figure sums for the Institute, the Met Gala has become one of the global calendar’s most anticipated events. With the theme for the 2025 edition now revealed, here’s everything you need to know.

The 2025 Met Gala will revolve around the theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, an exploration of Black dandyism and its pivotal role in shaping Black identities across the Atlantic Diaspora. Notably, this marks the first menswear-focused exhibition at the Costume Institute since 2003’s Men in Skirts, and the first since Andrew Bolton’s tenure as Curator in Charge to involve a guest curator. Monica Miller, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, joins the curatorial team, bringing with her a wealth of insight: her 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, serves as the intellectual backbone of the show, positioning Black dandyism as both a stylistic and political force.

Not coincidentally, the gala’s co-chairs include Louis Vuitton’s Pharrell Williams, actor Colman Domingo, Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, musician A$AP Rocky, and the ever-iconic Anna Wintour, while basketball superstar LeBron James serves as honorary chair. A collective presence speaking to the growing convergence of fashion, culture, and activism.

The exhibition, opening to the public on May 10 and running until October 26, 2025, will trace the figure of the Black dandy from its early 18th-century depictions to present-day runway shows and cinema. Divided into twelve thematic sections, the show draws inspiration from Zora Neale Hurston’s seminal essay The Characteristics of Negro Expression, and will feature designers such as Grace Wales Bonner, Pharrell Williams, and the late Virgil Abloh. Each contributes to the ongoing dialogue surrounding identity, style, and self-expression within the Black community.

Dandyism is a cultural and stylistic movement that emphasises refined elegance, attention to detail, and an often flamboyant approach to fashion. Born in 18th-century Europe, it stood as a rebellion against aristocratic conventions, embodied by figures like Beau Brummell. In the context of Black dandyism, however, it transcends fashion to become a statement of resistance, dignity, and redefinition, particularly in the face of oppression. The exhibition will showcase how Black individuals, once stylized as luxury commodities, transformed into global tastemakers who wielded style as a form of self-determination.

Visitors to the exhibition can expect an immersive journey, where garments are presented alongside artworks, video installations, and archival documents. In one poignant pairing, a velvet livery worn by an enslaved servant will be displayed beside a modern suit by Grace Wales Bonner, adorned with cowrie shells, symbols of African heritage and trade. More than 30 designers will be represented, with works by Virgil Abloh, Olivier Rousteing, and Foday Dumbuya featured alongside visual art curated by Tyler Mitchell and photography from artists such as Iké Udé.