Burgunbee

You couldn’t have missed it, and I’m pretty sure a lot of you turned into expert fashion critics that night, comfortably lying in bed.
The first Monday in May rings a bell for any fashion lover : it’s the biggest fashion event of the year : the Met Gala.

Back in 1948, this event was nothing like what we see today. The Met Gala became the major spectacle we now know thanks to the most influential figure in the fashion industry : Anna Wintour, Artistic Director at Condé Nast and Editor-in-Chief of Vogue.
I’m not here to tell the full story of the Met Gala, but I do recommend checking out a few articles about its evolution. It might give you something to reflect on.

Today, let’s dive into a quick recap of this year’s most prestigious fashion night, its theme and its guests. This article is divided into two parts. The first part will take a deep dive into the theme of the new Met exhibition and the 2025 edition of the Met Gala. The second part will highlight a few of the looks worn by celebrities that night, focusing on those that best honored the theme.

If you’re ready, I invite you to read the first part of this article and learn more about the fashion movement spotlighted in this year’s edition : dandyism.

A stylish theme for a stylish event

First of all, let’s refresh our memory about what the Met Gala is, and more importantly, its purpose.
The event is a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, a department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Each year, it supports the launch of a new exhibition celebrating the history and artistry of fashion.

Today, the Met Gala has become the fashion event, bringing together celebrities from all over the world for one iconic night that marks the opening of the museum’s annual exhibition. Each guest is expected to follow a specific dress code, designed to reflect the theme of the exhibition. (Note : the dress code and the exhibition theme are two distinct elements, but they are closely linked.) Celebrities are either invited personally by Anna Wintour or attend as guests of a sponsoring brand. For example, in 2025, the Maison Louis Vuitton invited brand ambassadors like Zendaya, Sabrina Carpenter, Callum Turner, and even rapper Future. If you’re not invited, you can still attend by purchasing a ticket, but it will cost you $75,000. And even if you’re willing to pay, if Anna says no, that’s the end of it.

This year’s exhibition is titled : “Superfine : Tailoring Black Style”.
It highlights the elegance and cultural influence of African-American dandyism, exploring identity, history, and gender roles through the lens of fashion.

And yes, you’re probably wondering : what is dandyism ?

First of all, a major figure behind this year’s event : Monica Miller, a professor at Columbia University and author of the 2009 thesis “Slaves to Fashion : Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity”. Her work not only deeply inspired this year’s exhibition but also shaped the overall theme of the Met Gala.

Dandyism emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is a complex concept, and honestly, I think it’s more of an aura, a presence, a certain confidence, than something you can strictly define. According to the dictionary, it’s a cultural and aesthetic movement focused on refined elegance, meticulous self-presentation, and the deliberate use of style as a form of identity and resistance. Within the Black American diaspora, it became a powerful response to racism, a way to reclaim dignity and visibility through elegance. 

I would describe a dandy as someone who studies fashion deeply, someone who masters the art of dressing, especially through tailoring. But more than that, a dandy uses their appearance to express their identity : their race, class, gender, and sexuality. A true dandy doesn’t follow the rules of fashion, they write their own. Fashion becomes a form of personal expression. And honestly, isn’t that the purest definition of what it means to be fashionable?

Historically when dandyism was a defining style within the Black American diaspora, adopting this aesthetic was a way for individuals to assert their uniqueness in a society that saw them only as part of a group, a society that discriminated against them.

Today, with its influential role, this exhibition at the Met serves as a powerful reminder of what we must always continue to fight for.

As I’ve already mentioned, the concept of the exhibition and the Met Gala’s theme are two distinct elements. The exhibition is titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, while the dress code for the night was “Tailored for You.” These two themes are perfectly aligned, yet the dress code focuses on personal elegance and the idea of tailored, individual style.

Like every year, Anna Wintour wasn’t the only chair of the event. She was joined by five other influential figures to embody the values of the theme. Among the co-chairs were : 

• Musician and designer Pharrell Williams, 
• Actor and director Colman Domingo, 
• Rapper and fashion icon A$AP Rocky, 
• Formula 1 champion with the most ICONIC fashion style Lewis Hamilton, 
• And as an honorary chair, basketball legend LeBron James.

If you want to review some of the most iconic, theme-respecting, served looks from the Met Gala 2025, I invite you to hold on a little, the second part of this article is coming soon.