The 2025 MET Gala theme is 'Tailored for You' but what does it mean for guests

Daily Mirror

05-05-2025

The Met Gala brings together the top celebrities and socialites every year to celebrate and raise awareness for the Costume Institute. Here's what this year's dress code means
For most of us, the first Monday of May isn't that monumental. However, for celebrities and socialites, this is the biggest weekend of their year. The first Monday of May marks the annual Met Gala. With 400-650 attendees ranging from beloved film stars and record-selling singers to fashion designers and industry leaders, all of whom were invited by Anna Wintour and Vogue, the Met Gala is akin to Christmas for fashion enthusiasts.
The Met Gala is an annual haute couture fundraiser held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, specifically to support the Costume Institute. This event is celebrated as the world 's most prestigious and glamorous fashion gathering, attracting top figures from the film, music, and fashion industries.
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The inaugural Met Gala was held in 1948, originally known as the "Costume Institute Benefit." Renowned fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert established this charity event to support the Costume Institute through fundraising and awareness.
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The event later underwent a cultural transformation following Diana Vreeland's appointment as a consultant for the Institute. This appointment led to the charity's benefit switching venues to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and introducing annual themes that reflected the Institute.
Anna Wintour, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, has overseen the event since 1995, approving everything from sponsors and themes to guest lists and evening attire, as well as which designers are assigned to dress which celebrities.
This year, the Met Gala takes over Manhattan on the 5th of May, and here's everything you need to know. The event is known for its iconic themes, and this year's pays homage to Black dandyism.
The dress code for this year's gala is 'Tailored for You', reflecting the new exhibition that will take over the museum from May 10 to October 26, 2025, titled 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style'. The theme will explore the significance of clothing and style in shaping Black identities within the Atlantic diaspora, with a primary focus on menswear.
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The dress-code for this year was primarily selected by Andrew Bolton, chief curator of The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller's 2009 book, 'Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.'
This theme emphasises how tailoring and style contribute to the development of Black identities. Notably, this marks the first time since 2003's "Men in Skirts" that the Met Gala will spotlight menswear.
According to the Met, the dress code is 'purposefully designed to provide guidance and invite creative interpretation'. Each year, a new chairman is appointed, along with a co-chair group, to promote the event, represent its theme, and guide its flow, particularly during public appearances and red-carpet events.
Additionally, the co-chairs also contribute to planning the theme, dinner and performances. This year's co-chairs are producer and musician Pharrell Williams, actor Colman Domingo, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, musician A$AP Rocky and Anna Wintour, with basketball star Lebron James acting as honorary co-chair.