Met Gala 2025: how attendees on the red carpet interpreted this year’s theme

American fashion wouldn’t be what it is today without the late editor and style historian André Leon Talley’s impact. In his prime, he was considered the most powerful man in fashion journalism, rising in status from being Diana Vreeland’s young mentee to Anna Wintour’s right-hand man. It’s only fitting that the red carpet pays tribute to his legacy. 

Celebrities showed up in couture that referenced Talley’s fashion sense, like Colman Domingo who wore a deep blue Valentino cape. Talley was known for his flowing capes and unapologetic dandyism, favouring tuxedos and tipped pork pie hats. Doechii’s Louis Vuitton look references a humorous scene from the documentary The September Issue, wherein Talley showed up to tennis practice with several pieces of monogrammed LV luggage on hand.

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In the Twenties, finger waves and kiss curls were popular among Black women as a way to style hair. They were worn by entertainers like Josephine Baker and became a symbol of glamour, especially during eras when Eurocentric beauty standards dominated. The style eventually faded in mainstream popularity but remained a staple in Black hair salons. 

Above, Serena Williams is seen sporting blond finger waves.

Accessories are vital to the visual power of Black dandysim, used as vessels for resistance and identity. This year’s Met Gala saw a number of guests donning fedoras and pork pie hats, which have long been signature pieces for Black dandies as ways to claim dignity and visibility. The same rhetoric applies to cigarette holders, walking sticks and boutonnières, the latter of which represent a defiance of rigid masculinity.

The red carpet was a stage for homages to music and entertainment icons, both in attendance and fashion choices. Gigi Hadid’s gold ensemble by Miu Miu referenced a look from the 1940s worn by Jazz Age icon Josephine Baker, as did FKA Twigs, who showed up in a glittering flapper-esque dress by Wales Bonner.

The original dress that inspired Hadid’s was designed by pioneering African-American designer Zelda Wynn Valdes. Meanwhile, Zendaya’s all-white Louis Vuitton zoot suit, conceptualised by Pharrell Williams, references the high-powered ensembles donned by Grace Jones, Diana Ross and Bianca Jagger.

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