It’s the first Monday of May, marking the arrival of the .
This year’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Benefit centers around the theme “,”, taken from the Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition, which delves into the significance of .
Inspired by Monica Miller’s 2009 work, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, the exhibition highlights through dandyism. The dress code for the evening, “Tailored for You,” reflects the show’s emphasis on menswear and is intended to “purposefully designed to both provide guidance and invite creative interpretation.”
As usual, the haute couture event attracted celebrities, fashion industry figures, and influencers to New York City’s Upper East Side, where they walked the blue (adorned with yellow and white flowers) carpet on the Met’s steps. Among those who captured the essence of the night’s theme were gala co-chairs, , A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams. Their attire ranged from a deep blue Valentino cape worn by Domingo, reminiscent of 2011 Met Gala outfit, to Pharrell’s pearl blazer, drawing inspiration from “the Black men of the working class.”
Despite being named an honorary chair, LeBron James announced his absence from the gala due to a knee injury sustained during the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff series. However, he confirmed that his wife, Savannah James, would attend in his place.
Here is a selection of the most memorable (and daring) looks from the 2025 Met Gala red carpet.