The Met Gala 2025: The Most Seamlessly Followed Theme Ever?

For years, Met Gala red carpets have been filled with hits, misses, and plenty of "did they even read the theme?" moments. But this year felt different. With "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" as the guiding force, attendees embraced the assignment with rare clarity and conviction. The result? A night where personal style and historical homage intertwined effortlessly. Where, for once, nearly everyone seemed to be on the same page. From sharp suiting reinterpretations to boundary-pushing statements rooted in Black sartorial excellence, 2025 might just go down as the year the Met Gala attendees got it exactly right.

Understanding the Theme: "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style"

This year’s theme was more than just suits. It was about legacy and self expression. Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s Slaves to Fashion, the exhibition honored the rich tradition of Black dandyism and the power of fashion as a cultural voice. "Superfine" nodded to both the sharpness of tailoring and the deep sophistication woven into Black style across generations. The dress code, Tailored for You, encouraged guests to make the theme their own. And they did. Guests took the brief and ran with it, merging classic dress codes with personal twists to create looks that felt thoughtful, modern, and refreshingly on theme.

A History of Hits and Misses

Part of what makes the Met Gala so captivating is its unpredictability. Year after year, the red carpet becomes a canvas for interpretation, sometimes to thrilling effect and other times missing the mark entirely. One of my favorite themes, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” delivered iconic moments while still leaving plenty off course. Another favorite, “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” invited extreme creativity but confused guests and viewers alike. It’s safe to say that following the theme has never been guaranteed.

That is why 2025 felt so refreshing. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” offered direction while simultaneously not feeling restrictive or open-ended. It asked attendees to engage with culture, history, and craft, and they did just that. For the first time in recent memory, the carpet felt unified. Every look, though distinct, spoke to a shared understanding of what the night represented. There were no blatant misfires or question marks. Instead, it was a celebration of fashion at its most thoughtful and in my opinion, that alone made it one of the strongest Met Galas to date.

Personal Favorites

As a co-chair of this year's Met Gala, A$AP Rocky delivered exactly what the night called for. Wearing a custom design from his own collective AWGE, he fused personal history with refined style. His look featured a slick double breasted technical wool jacket, inspired by the outdoorsy Marmot jackets he grew up seeing around Harlem. “Marmots are a Harlem tradition,” Rocky told Vogue during his final fitting. “That was our teenage jacket.”

He paired the statement outerwear with classic black trousers, a vest, and thoughtful accessories, striking a balance between nostalgia and modern luxury. It felt true to him.

Laura Harrier’s Met look blended personal history with refined elegance. Designed by Zac Posen for Gap Studio, her beige ensemble featured a raw denim vest and duchess satin pants. Inspired by archival photos of her family dressed in their Sunday best, the look honored both intimate memories and the timeless style of the early dandy. “Those photos are more than just style — they are about pride, presence and the way Black men in my family used fashion to express dignity,” Harrier told WWD. “Seeing that legacy reimagined by Zac and brought to life on a stage like the Met Gala feels full circle. It’s emotional, honestly.” The result was a deeply personal tribute woven into the night’s larger celebration of heritage and individuality.

Fresh off a 4-night run of sold out shows at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Charli XCX kept the energy high as she hit the Met Gala carpet. Her arena tour may have wrapped in the states, but she delivered one more headline moment in a darkly romantic look by Ann Demeulemeester, styled with statement jewelry from Bucherer. The Belgian house, celebrated for its moody and androgynous aesthetic, aligns seamlessly with the grungy, Brat-coded style the pop star has cultivated alongside her stylist, Chris Horan. Channeling theatrical Gothic glamour with her signature edge, Charli proved that even after four nights on stage, this party girl can rally and make an entrance.

Bad Bunny made his fourth Met Gala appearance in a look that celebrated Puerto Rican tradition. He wore a dark brown pava hat, tied to the island’s jíbaro farmers, alongside a custom Prada brown mohair suit, raffia tie, rope belt, and canvas boots complete with embellished leather gloves and a Fall/Winter 2025 runway bag. Echoing visuals from his recent album, the look felt personal and intentional. Ahead of hitting the carpet, he also announced a global stadium tour kicking off in November across the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Japan, and much of Europe (notably skipping the United States). On the carpet, he teased that the show will be “a huge party” filled with “mucho sentimiento.”

Suki Waterhouse and Emma Chamberlain captured the spirit of the night, who both reimagined classic suiting through a modern, backless lens. Waterhouse stunned in a Michael Kors tuxedo inspired dress, complete with a sharp leg slit, open back, and fluid train that brought ease to traditional tailoring. Chamberlain, in custom Courrèges, took a similar approach with a black pinstripe suit dress featuring a low back, asymmetrical cut, and halter neckline. Both finished their looks with thoughtful accessories, Waterhouse with diamonds and satin, Chamberlain with sheer opera gloves and silver frames, proving that deconstructed menswear can be equal parts powerful and playful.

Nobody does the Met Gala quite like Zendaya. Each of her appearances have felt like a masterclass in delivering a moment, and this year was no exception. Styled by her longtime collaborator Law Roach, Zendaya wore custom Louis Vuitton designed by Pharrell Williams. Her look, a white tailored suit, drew inspiration from the historic zoot suit, a signature of Black dandyism and a symbol of power dressing in the 70s and 80s. It also subtly nodded to the legacy of Black women performers who made suits their own during that era. In perfect sync with the night’s Tailored for You dress code, Zendaya’s choice felt both referential and fashion forward.

2025’s Met Gala proved that when a theme resonates deeply, it can inspire some of the most cohesive and compelling fashion moments in recent history. Rather than feeling forced or performative, the night unfolded naturally. A testament to the power of meaningful storytelling through style. It wasn’t just about hitting the brief, but about elevating it, making this year’s event feel not only successful, but genuinely significant.

Graphic By Nick Cucchi