Actor Colman Domingo, serving as a co-chair for this year's event, spoke Monday regarding the 2025 Met Gala theme, which honors the legacy of fashion figure André Leon Talley. The theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," draws inspiration from Talley's impact on fashion and culture.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton noted that the exhibit is influenced by Talley, the former Vogue creative director and editor-at-large who died in January 2022. The gala precedes the opening of the exhibition.
Domingo discussed the theme at a press conference ahead of the event, highlighting "generations of men who have liberated themselves with style." Domingo appeared at the conference wearing an Ozwald Boateng suit and a Kangol cap, offering a preview of the sartorial focus.
Domingo is co-chairing the gala alongside Anna Wintour, Lewis Hamilton, Pharrell Williams, and A$AP Rocky.
Ahead of Monday night's event, several stars referenced the theme or paid tribute to Talley. Doechii recreated a well-known image of Talley involving tennis apparel and luggage.
Doechii later wore a tailored skirt suit from Louis Vuitton for a Met Weekend party, further embracing the "Tailoring Black Style" dress code. Model Paloma Elsesser wore a custom jacket featuring a painted portrait of Talley to an event at the Mark Hotel.
Naomi Campbell, while not attending, posted a tribute to Talley, calling the theme appropriate for celebrating how fashion has allowed Black people to express identity and claim power..Other celebrities like Cynthia Erivo and Ariana DeBose were seen in tailored looks at pre-gala parties. Erivo wore an oversized double-breasted suit to one event, while DeBose wore a double-breasted blazer dress to the Moda Operandi party..Talley's former colleague, Anna Wintour, wrote about his impact on the Met Gala and her personal life following his death. Wintour's tribute described him as a "dandy among dandies" who radiated joy. Their decades-long relationship included ups and downs.
The 2025 Met Gala expects around 450 attendees from various fields, including fashion, film, and music.
