For the first time, the Met Gala will center Black men’s style, creativity, and expression. The 2025 theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” draws from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion, which explores Black dandyism and its global influence.
Miller, who also curated the Costume Institute’s spring exhibit, says Black style connects fashion and power. The event celebrates Black men’s ability to express identity through fashion—race, class, gender, and more—all on fashion’s biggest stage.
Dandyism, historically linked to fine dressing and self-presentation, is redefined here. Stars from sports and entertainment describe it as confidence, expression, and “Black excellence.” Miller says Black dandyism goes back at least to the Harlem Renaissance and has long transformed hardship into elegance.
This year’s red carpet will include Met Gala co-chairs Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams. LeBron James serves as honorary chair. Committee members include André 3000, Janelle Monáe, Teyana Taylor, Usher, Tyla, Simone Biles, and Angel Reese.
Celebrity stylist Avon Dorsey, who’s worked with Michael B. Jordan and Jay Ellis, says the theme “means everything” for Black men in fashion. “We’ve always shown up, whether in church suits or top hats,” he said. Dorsey is also launching Brother, a magazine focused on Black men’s fashion.
National Black Theatre’s Jonathan McCrory calls fashion “a form of protection” in a world that demands hardness. Meanwhile, Dapper Dan recalls discovering dandyism through thrift store clothing, eventually becoming a fashion icon through his Harlem boutique and work with Gucci.
While not political by design, the Met Gala’s theme sends a strong message about inclusion. “This night is for André Leon Talley, too,” Dorsey said. “He paved the way. Now we get to celebrate what he helped create.”
