The 2025 Met Gala marked a triumphant return to bold tailoring, unapologetic extravagance, and an intimate exploration of Black men’s style. Held as always on the first Monday in May, this year’s event celebrated the Costume Institute’s newest exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” drawing inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s seminal book Slaves to Fashion. The dress code? “Tailored for You” — a call to reinterpret suiting, dandyism, and personal identity through bespoke fashion. Guests responded in force, transforming the museum’s iconic steps into a masterclass in elevated menswear and exaggerated silhouettes. From sweeping trains to sharp pinstripes, here are five trends that redefined gala glamour this year.
Suited Up, Styled Down
Suits took center stage, but this wasn’t your average black-tie moment. Celebrities played with color, silhouette, and cultural homage in ways that blurred traditional boundaries. Co-chair Colman Domingo led the way in a sweeping Valentino cape—a tribute to André Leon Talley—over a bold black-and-white checkered suit. Designer Willy Chavarria delivered lavender perfection in a long jacket from his own label, while Tracee Ellis Ross brought high-volume tailoring to life in a bubblegum pink Marc Jacobs creation with wide pants and an oversized cummerbund bow.
Newcomers also made waves: Lauryn Hill stunned in a sunshine-yellow, wide-legged suit with a dramatic train by Jude Dontoh, paired effortlessly with a cerulean Hermès Kelly. Elsewhere, Pharrell Williams continued his Louis Vuitton menswear legacy in flared trousers and a pearl-embellished cropped jacket, and Future doubled down on dandyism with a plaid suit featuring extra-wide flare.
Not to be left out, the floor-length skirt suit emerged as a key silhouette—worn with flair by Paul Tazewell and Walton Goggins in custom Thom Browne, and taken to new heights by Janelle Monáe in a theatrical collaboration with Tazewell and Browne. Even slim tailoring had its moment, seen on Bad Bunny’s brown Prada look with jeweled gloves and Jeremy O. Harris in a sharp Balmain suit with tails.
The White-Out Effect
Though black tie reigns eternal, white made a bold play for dominance. Striking, chic, and statement-making, monochrome white looks offered a clean canvas for dramatic cuts and luxurious embellishment. Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton exuded quiet elegance in a cream Grace Wales Bonner ensemble with a matching beret. Meanwhile, Doechii took tailoring in a playful direction with a Louis Vuitton shorts suit embroidered with the brand’s signature logo.
Zendaya — never one to shy away from a fashion challenge — invoked Bianca Jagger in a 1970s-inspired flared three-piece suit by Louis Vuitton, finished with a wide-brimmed hat. She was joined in spirit by athlete Breanna Stewart in Sergio Hudson and Madonna in a Tom Ford satin tuxedo with regal tails.
The sparkle didn’t stop there. Megan Thee Stallion layered a floor-length white fur coat over a silver Michael Kors gown, while model Alex Consani practically glowed in a crystal-covered white gown crafted by Swarovski in collaboration with stylist Carlos Nazario. Over 30,000 crystals created a shimmering mirage of couture precision and fantasy.
Pinstripe Renaissance
Pinstripes, once the symbol of officewear, were reinterpreted through a high-fashion lens. This motif emerged as the evening’s standout pattern, reworked into oversized silhouettes, colorful coordinates, and luxe tailoring. Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys arrived in a striking red-and-navy matching set by Moncler x EE72, while Patrick Schwarzenegger wore a belted pinstripe Balmain jumpsuit layered over yellow.
The motif leaned more flamboyant on Pusha T in a burgundy sparkled Louis Vuitton suit and Henry Golding in a rich mustard ensemble by Ozwald Boateng. Musician Leon Bridges sported a dramatic flared-leg pinstripe suit by Nicholas Daley in red and navy, while actor Tramell Tillman elevated Thom Browne’s pinstripe trousers with a velvet jacket and cascading tails.
Women, too, embraced the lined look. Quinta Brunson reimagined the power suit in a white pinstriped Sergio Hudson dress and jacket combo, and Rihanna brought her maternity style flair to a corseted Marc Jacobs creation spliced with pinstripes and tuxedo aesthetics.
Highs, Lows, and Everything in Between
Playful proportion was a hallmark of the night. High-low hems, dramatic capes, and hybrid silhouettes invited creativity and couture experimentation. Aimee Lou Wood wore a cropped tuxedo jacket paired with a floor-length sash by Ahluwalia, while Simone Biles dazzled in a blue mini skirt with a sweeping train from Harbison Studio. Luar’s architectural minidress on Myha’la combined an exaggerated collar with thigh-high Timberlands for streetwear edge.
Other stars embraced the transformative power of outerwear. Lupita Nyong’o wore a sheer pale blue cape over her Chanel pantsuit and hat, and Colin Kaepernick paired his deep red Moncler suit with a knee-length cape that evoked revolutionary energy. Regé-Jean Page wore a fiery red Brioni suit with a dramatic trailing cape, while Jennie Kim of Blackpink stunned in a tailored Chanel jumpsuit offset by a gown-length overskirt.
The reinvention of proportion extended to unexpected places. Venus Williams fused elegance and athleticism in a Lacoste ensemble featuring a pleated tennis skirt and floor-grazing coat. Jodie Turner-Smith added grandeur to her slim Burberry suit with a full-circle matching cape and towering top hat.
More is Still More
If the Met Gala is fashion’s Oscars, then the rule is clear: go big or go home. This year, maximalism remained essential. Nothing captured this better than the expansive trains that swept up the museum’s marble steps. Diana Ross reigned supreme in a white custom ensemble from Eleven Sixteen by Ugo Mozie, complete with a cape embroidered with the names of her children and grandchildren.
Shakira glided across the carpet in a Prabal Gurung gown with a fuchsia train that echoed old-Hollywood glamour, while Serena Williams embraced cozy couture in a light-blue dress topped with a duvet-style cape by Moncler x EE72.
Then came the theatrics: Demi Moore’s Thom Browne dress trailed behind like a striped silk tie reimagined for the runway. Ayo Edebiri wore a Ferragamo dress by Maximilian Davis, embellished with red glass beads and anchored by a black leather coat with cascading sleeves.
But no one captured the night’s surreal drama quite like André 3000. Wearing a Burberry x Benji Bixby jumpsuit, the enigmatic artist strapped a full-sized piano to his back—a poignant metaphor that reminded onlookers: fashion, at its boldest, is art, weight, and personal truth.
The 2025 Met Gala wasn’t just about tailoring—it was about storytelling. Through pinstripes, pearl trims, oversized coats and crystal embroidery, guests wrote a sartorial love letter to identity, expression, and the reimagination of the suit. As the exhibit Superfine: Tailoring Black Style opens its doors, it’s clear: fashion isn’t just what you wear. It’s what you carry, and how you carry it.
