New York’s Black Dandyism at Met Gala
- The steps of the Metropolitan museum of Art on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue,bordering Central Park,transformed into a spectacle of style adn celebrity on Monday evening for the annual Met...
- Among the early arrivals making a statement was actress and musician Teyana Taylor, who sported an elaborate ensemble featuring a cane, feathered hat, a suit adorned with silver...
- Singer Diana Ross turned heads with a lengthy train reportedly embroidered with the names of her children and grandchildren.
Met Gala 2025: Fashion’s Biggest Night Celebrates Black Diasporic Influence
The steps of the Metropolitan museum of Art on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue,bordering Central Park,transformed into a spectacle of style adn celebrity on Monday evening for the annual Met Gala. The event, a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, drew a crowd of onlookers eager too capture the fashion moments on their phones.
Among the early arrivals making a statement was actress and musician Teyana Taylor, who sported an elaborate ensemble featuring a cane, feathered hat, a suit adorned with silver chains over a curved-button vest, and a sweeping cape embellished with roses.
Singer Diana Ross turned heads with a lengthy train reportedly embroidered with the names of her children and grandchildren.
social Media Buzz
Rihanna, known for her anticipated arrivals, generated buzz online even before appearing on the red carpet. She posted a photo of herself in New York City, displaying her pregnant belly, confirming that she and A$AP Rocky are expecting their third child.
A$AP Rocky,on the Met steps,confirmed the news,stating,”Thank you,thank you,thank you (…) We are really happy.”
Rihanna eventually arrived wearing a large-brimmed hat, a gray skirt tied in the back, and a mini-vest that accentuated her pregnancy.
Tickets to the exclusive gala cost $75,000, according to *The New York Times*. Met Director general Max Hollein projected the 2025 event would raise $31 million.
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of *Vogue*, has shaped the gala into a major event for social media.
Each year, the Met Gala features a theme that corresponds with the Costume Institute’s major annual exhibition.
The 2025 theme explored the influence of Black diasporas on American fashion, highlighting Black dandyism, an aesthetic rooted in slavery that evolved into a symbol of elegance and emancipation.
Rapper Doechii sported an Afro hairstyle, a short jacket, and Louis Vuitton shorts. Actor Colman Domingo,a co-chair of the 2025 gala,wore a royal blue cape as a tribute to the late André leon Talley,*Vogue*’s first African-American creative director.
Black Lives Matter and Cultural Institutions
Fellow gala co-chairs included Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton,who wore a cream suit with a matching beret and diamonds,and artist Pharrell Williams,who sported a white jacket adorned with pearls.
A choir performed “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” popularized by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, at the foot of the museum steps. Rapper Andre 3000 carried a piano replica on his back.
The gala’s theme reflects a broader push for diversity within american cultural institutions, following the anti-racism protests sparked by George Floyd’s death five years prior.
Wintour told AFP that the exhibition,planned years in advance,has taken on “a new importance and a new reason for being,” given the current political climate.
LeBron James, honorary president of the evening, was unable to attend due to a knee injury.
Other sports figures present included gymnast Simone Biles, sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, and women’s basketball stars Angel Reese, Sabrina Ionescu, and Breanna Stewart.