Fashion’s biggest night out brought out Jalen Hurts, Savannah James, Angel Reese, Lewis Hamilton, Simone Biles and more — Andscape

Every first Monday in May, our biggest celebrities, movie stars, musicians, and athletes arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for the fashion industry’s version of the Super Bowl: The Met Gala. 

Vogue’s long-time editor Anna Wintour handpicks what designers will dress the guests in the ultimate red-carpet looks, to be on theme and embody the gala’s corresponding exhibition. This year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute’s exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. The exhibition puts themes of menswear, identity, history, and the Black dandy on view, and the museum extended its time on view to May 6 to October 26, 2025.  

In her ‘Letter from the Editor’ in this year’s Met Issue, Wintour acknowledges how deeply the theme was inspired by her longtime collaborator Andre Leon Talley, who died at 73 in January 2022 of complications of COVID-19. “I have thought of André so many times — happy and bittersweet memories mixed together,” she wrote in the May issue of Vogue. 

“I thought of how even when he was doing something one might have found slightly over the top  — playing tennis in full Vuitton, for instance — it was for Andre, an act of supreme confidence of total self-possession. André knew who he was, and I know how much he would have adored “Superfine” […]. “Andre was a dandy among dandies, and he radiated joy,” she wrote. 

It’s hard not to look at this year’s theme as a tribute to the man who was once the most prominent Black man working in fashion media. Talley began his career working for Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and went on to work for Interview magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, and, finally, Vogue. There, he served as fashion news director, creative director and ultimately editor at large, working side by side with Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour.

As you’d expect, our favorite athletes made light work of the Met’s blue carpet, turning it into their personal tunnel for the night. 

Keep scrolling to some of the standout looks of the night.

Coleman Domingo

Leave it to one of the fundraiser’s co-chairs to kick off the night with a nod to history and André Leon Talley. Domingo donned a pleated blue Valentino cape, not unlike the voluminous cape Talley wore to the 2011 Met Gala. The actor also shared on Vogue’s livestream that, in his research for the look, he came across a freed slave who saved up for a blue wool suit. He would go on to reveal under the cape and brocade, a subtle take on a Zoot suit with a windowpane patterned jacket, and a polka dot neck scarf worn in place of a tie, and an oversized polka dot flower. My personal favorite touch was the ear adornment above his cartilage.

Edward Enninful and Serena Williams

Tennis extraordinaire Serena Williams attended with former British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful in a seafood green silk gown with draping and lace paneling reminiscent of the most luxurious bedding, trailing a long, down comforter-esque cape that made sense the minute Williams announced she was wearing a collaboration between fancy puffer coat brand Moncler and Enninful.

Quarterbacks and Receivers Row

I’d argue that every athlete who pays attention, and in great detail, to their tunnel ‘fits on Game Day is exhibiting dandyism, so it’s not a shock to see so many in attendance. Some like Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins showed how good tailoring is important, even in breezy Fear of God suit he’s wearing, new Giants quarterback Russell Wilson (wearing TK) and Colin Kaepernick (wearing a Black designer Ozwald Boteng) proved plaid is quite dandy, while New England Patriots’ receiver Stefon Diggs (wearing a Black designer, Bianca Sanders) and Ravens’ receiver Justin Jefferson (wearing Public School) showed how accessories can make the suit, while others like Eagles’ receiver Saquon Barkley in a perfectly fine Thom Browne suit, were just… there.

Savannah James

Lebron James missed his first Met Gala because of a knee injury. Still, he was supposed to co-host the night alongside Domingo Coleman, A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton and Pharrell Williams. If his look is anything like his wife’s we know it would have been good. She wore custom Black-owned brand Hanifa, and the interpretation of a suit and tie with the mermaid skirt, exaggerated cuffs? A perfect way for a woman to play with theme while staying true to your own personal style.

Damson Idris

Snowfall actor Damon Idris took the opportunity to promote his upcoming role as a Formula 1 driver in the movie F1 by arriving on the carpet in a custom-made racing suit and a helmet adorned with 20,000 Swarovski crystals. This feels like the ultimate tunnel fit. He had a bit of a shaky reveal, and the racing suit was torn off of him to show his custom Tommy Hilfiger suit underneath.

Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens

Olympian Simone Biles complemented the Met Gala steps in her bright blue halter, sleeveless blazer dress. She’s wearing Harbison Studio, a Black brand. The exaggeration of the collar on the dress, as well as the buttons and bow tie, are whimsical details that keep the look from being too on the nose. Her husband Jonathan Owens’ brooch was a pretty nod to her gown.

Venus Williams

Four-time gold medalist Venus Williams wore custom Lacoste. The dandyism is in the details: the tennis kit-inspired look demanded over 1,000 hours of craftsmanship, 18,000 seed beads, 54,000 sequins, and 36,000 microtubes. Williams said her hair was inspired by Josephine Baker—dubbed the “Black Venus”—and her elegance, but it was also self-referential because the TK are reminiscent of the beads she and her sister Serena Williams wore playing as little girls.

Noah Lyles

Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles took on dandyism with a Thom Brown three-piece short set. He walked the carpet with jewelry designer Ana Khouri, who created the sculptural pearl necklace he wore. Lyles competed in the 2024 Olympics with pearls in his braids. A man wearing pearls subverts gender norms, and that is quite dandy.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson and designer Prabal Gurung understood the assignment. She looks incredibly regal in her coat dress, with its exaggerated collar, sleek buttons, volume at her hips, and volume on her jacket’s cuff. And as good as the clothing looked on her, she really embodied the theme. The church fan with Andre Leon Talley’s face on it really brought the look home.

Sha’Carri Richardson

Olympic gold medalist and track star Sha’Carri Richardson is wanted to highlight Black women power with her look at the Met Gala, designed by Alessandro Michele at Valentino.“I want to represent the feminine power of Black women, and show that there is not just one particular way to be powerful and feminine at the same time,” she told Women’s Wear Daily, of her chantilly lace top worn under a strapless, ribbon-style dress. Purple was her mother’s favorite color, and while the look may not be exactly on theme, it is tailored to her. Especially her nails, which her nail artist called “a garden on every finger” — and that’s the important part.

Regina King, FKA Twigs, and Andra Day

Regina King said her custom Who Decides War look is a reminder that “the woman is the pulse of the earth and everything has to come through us […] and connection to your ancestors.” The intricate beading depicts “the Garden of Eden and the Genesis story of creation—reimagined through the cultural lens of people of color.” At the same time, FKA Twigs gave another nod to Josephine Baker with an exceptionally beautiful beaded gown with a feather skirt designed by Black designer Grace Wales Bonner. Actress Andra Day is also wearing a Black designer, Jerome Lamaar, who said he pulled the look together in two weeks, pulling “everything from sleek zoot suits, Afrofuturism, Congolese Sapeurs for color and the story of how the Tobacco leaf shaped our situation in society.”

Debbie Allen and Norm Nixon

Debbie Allen made her Met Gala debut wearing the custom designs of costume designer Paul Tazewell, who most recently won an Oscar for his work on Wicked, and there is something very Glinda the good witch about this sharp tailoring. Tazewell outfitted Allen’s husband, Stormin’ Norman, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers, in a sleek but demure three-piece suit.

Tyla

Image Architect Law Roach extended his services to several people—besides Zendaya—for the night’s festivities, including Tyla, who stunned in Jacquemus. She wore a tailored pinstripe dress that skimmed her skin, paired with a pinstripe off-the-shoulder oversized men’s shirt that was rumpled just enough to give an intentional thought about how a man’s suit wears after a long day.

Angel Reese

Speaking of Law Roach, we love that the girls listen when he speaks. He told Angel Reese he would love to see her in more clothing, and here we are. Not only did the Bayou Barbie wear Thom Browne to her first pre-season game, but she wore custom Thom Browne to the Met Gala, a tailored cropped top and corseted high-waisted skirt that shows you don’t have to be in a men’s suit to do tailored suiting well.

Jalen Hurts and Bry Burrows

When Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts opted out of the team’s visit to the White House due to “prior commitments,” one can assume it was his fitting for the Met Gala. Burberry dressed the quarterback and his new wife. He, in a black double-breasted suit with floral embroidery, topped with what we hope is a Kangol-style beret, and Bry, in maroon dress that featured a thigh-high slit made of the same embroidery on Hurts’ suit. If you must match your man, this is the way.

Coco Jones, Doechi, Zendaya, and Lupita Nyong’o

Coco Jones designed her look in collaboration with Indian designer Manish Malhotra for her first Met Gala, a gorgeous working of crystals, pearls, and floral appliques sewn into her long suit jacket and pants. Doechi paid homage to Lil Kim’s use of logomania (one of the ways hip-hop showcases dandyism) with her short-set but the Louis Vuitton decal on her face, Zendaya paid tribute to one of the best fashion movies of all time, Diana Ross in Mahogany with a highly tailored, sleek three-piece Louis Vuitton suit. Lupita Nyong’o wore a monochromatic pastel green Chanel suit with a matching cape and flower pin. However, the bejeweled eyebrows were quite a lovely detail.

Lizzo

Christian Siriano said it best of the gown he designed for Lizzo: “giving Cab Calloway in custom Siriano suiting.” The cropped tuxedo jacket hanging just so, with platinum blonde hair and a cigarette holder, gives the jazz singer in the best way, as Calloway could be considered one of the ultimate dandies.

La La Anthony

La La Anthony took it back to her VJ days hosting Vogue’s livestream, reminding us that she was a video jockey all over MTV before she was Carmelo Anthony’s wife. Anthony wore archive Off-White by Virgil Abloh, a black tailored jumpsuit with an organza and tulle overlay on one side, mimicking a Victorian-era dressing gown.

Gabby Thomas

Olympic runner Gabby Thomas lit up the Met Gala carpet quite literally in a Lumière from Beauty and the Beast-esque look designed by British-Indian-Nigerian fashion brand Ahluwalia. The off-the-shoulder waist coat dripping with beads was a fun take on stuffy suiting.

Tems, Andre 3000, Rihanna

This is really special because singer Tems, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, moved to the United Kingdom and then back to Nigeria, was dressed by Ozwald Boateng, a Ghanaian immigrant who was the youngest Black designer to open a business on London’s Savile Row in 1995. Plus, he was part of the New Bespoke Movement that made Savile Row into the destination it is now.  

Another larger-than-life look was Andre 3000, who not only designed what GQ’s editor-in-chief Will Welch wore on the carpet, reviving his Benji Bixby clothing line, but also worked with Law Roach on his own Benji Bixby x Burberry look, minus the oversized piano and the trash bag he carried. The piano, created by Pink Sparrow, was modeled after a Steinway Model S Baby Grand piano. It was a promo for his newly released recording of “seven piano sketches” and no raps. No word on the meaning of the trash bag yet.

Rihanna was well worth the wait. She arrived wearing Marc Jacobs, and he killed it with the silhouettes of everyone he dressed. Rihanna took the cake with her cropped tuxedo jacket and cumberbund that essentially functioned as a corset. My favorite part was the blazer-turned skirt with the arms tied behind her. I couldn’t focus on anything else — it’s kind of hard to do when she’s pregnant for the third time.

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade both wore Prada to the Met Gala. She was in a simple strapless dress featuring a black column gown with a flowing white train attached at the waist, and he wore a three-piece suit complete with black trousers and a white coat with tails. Simple but impactful—that’s the beauty of precise tailoring.

Teyana Taylor

Teyana Taylor isn’t a stranger to exaggerating androgynous silhouettes, and this custom Marc Jacobs ensemble, styled by Ruth Carter, isn’t an exception. Carter was the second Oscar-winning costume designer to work on a Met Gala look on Monday, with Taylor’s a red three-piece pinstripe suit, a padded red cape, and accessories including gloves, a cane, a durag, and a tilted hat paying tribute to performers like Cab Calloway and Lionel Hampton.

Janelle Monáe

Like Teyana Taylor, Janelle Monáe’s style naturally embodies dandyism, so she was completely believable as what she called “a time-traveling dandy” dressed in a Thom Browne trompe-l’œil suit jacket painted to mimic an actual suit, tie, and briefcase on top of an actual suit.

Celebrity Round up

While the athletes were center stage, thanks to the co-hosts and hosting committee, we must acknowledge that many of our favorite celebrities got it right, too. Like, Shaboozey’s Robert Wun look, the turquoise beading matches the grill in his mouth. Keke Palmer’s intricate Vera Wang silk bodice with a tailored lapel, neckline and bubble-hemmed overskirt embellished with pearls and Swarovski crystals. When co-host A$AP Rocky wasn’t spilling the beans on his third child with Rihanna, he showed off his tooth adornments, Megan Thee Stallion paid tribute to Josephine Baker in Michael Kors. 

Quinta Brunson, fresh off of hosting Saturday Night Live, looked gorgeous in a beaded pinstripe strapless gown by Sergio Hudson, Caleb Mclaughlin wore Dior and his pops of green paired nicely with his accoutrements, Cynthia Erivio looked wicked in a beaded bodice with an exaggerated collar and sleeves that took 950 hours to make, with the embroidery work requiring over 43,400 Swarovski crystals, and demanding approximately 1,300 hours to achieve by 40 artisans, according to People, and finally, we have Spike Lee, portraying the ultimate sports-loving dandy in his Knicks hat and matching glasses. 

Cardi B

Cardi B brought the funk to the Met Gala in her Burberry green velour suit inspired by the Victorian era, with her matching green contacts and eye makeup. According to designer Daniel Lee, the suiting was inspired by “one particular image we found of an emerald green gown from the 19th century: The back of the gown had a circular cut out which, for the time, would have been controversial. We liked this idea of non-conformity, keeping with the spirit of Dandyism.”