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Boston Globe
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Fine & dandy: Black style is bigger than the Met
The Zendaya at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala on Monday in New York. Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Dandyism is fashion as expression, as declaration, as fit, as form, and a call to attention. Dandyism is indulging your muchness as never too much at all with a refinery that commands one see you. Advertisement Capes, colors, fabrics you can feel and feel again, and fit specific to your body, your way. More importantly – your choice. Autonomy. Expression. Movement. All yours. Historically, we were denied this basic human right. Our Blackness is ours, something we always carry with us. It's not an outfit we take on and off. André Leon Talley, the late, sartorial king and first Black creative director of Vogue, understood this as a six-foot-seven Black man and often the only Black person on the front row of esteemed fashion shows. How I wish he could have been alive to see the gala in Black, to see the four Black men co-chairing it, and the Advertisement 'As far as Blackness is a concern, I want to address this: My Blackness is paramount to me as a man. My Blackness is always uppermost in my life,' he '... I'm aware I'm a Black individual who came from enslaved people from Africa, who was a descendant of great, great generations of talent and geniuses, and people of color who are great masters in fields of science, art, literature, politics.' Andre Leon Talley arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala benefit, celebrating the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" exhibition in 2011 in New York. Evan Agostini/Associated Press We carry this in the closet of our consciousness. The highs and the lows of our history and our now. While celebrities walked the red carpets celebrating Black style, our schools, museums, and nonprofits are being forced to turn away from diversity, equity, and inclusion or risk federal funding, lawsuits, and more. Erasure is targeting our identities, our historic truths, how we honor and remember one another. To celebrate cultural differences and teach history that addresses racism and racial realities in this country is being rewritten as 'Anti-American ideology.' This is the kind of propaganda that was historically used to detach Black people and nonwhite folks from their humanity, from their citizenship, from the right to respect. In the Jim Crow era, there was an intentional effort to deny Black dignity by creating tropes of Sambos and Sapphires, of Mammies and Mandigos, of Savages and Jezebels. All given various uniforms and characteristics in an attempt to abase us. We could dismiss this as a practice of the past but we see how it follows us into the now when we remember 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was described by George Zimmerman as a suspicious guy in a dark hoodie. Martin was simply walking while Black and wearing a hoodie. Advertisement A Black boy dressed a certain way. A Black boy enjoying the luxury of casual comfortability. A Black boy carrying candy and tea when he was stalked through his neighborhood and defended himself against the perpetrator, only to be murdered. The clothes of Black folk have always been connected to arming and disarming. Slave codes dictated what enslaved people could wear, referred to as ' coarse, cheap, and dull fabrics. Our people had to make their own with what was given. And make our own is what we did. Colman Domingo at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala on Monday in New York. Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP Our ancestors countered that by creating an armor of what was considered distinguished and dignified, and making it our own. Frederick Douglass became the most photographed man of the 19th century on purpose: overcoats and tailored three-piece suits. Taking what was denied, shedding what was forced, and portraying power. He created a new Black image. He evoked Black dignity. In time, we dared to be playful with personalized fashion. Zoot suits. Feathers. Flourish. The bold colors, textures, accessories, and shapes of the Harlem Renaissance are undeniable, often referenced and replicated on runways today. Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, we saw how fashion sent a message. The Sunday's Best finest church clothes of protesters led by Martin Luther King Jr. defied the unruly and inhumane narratives institutional players tried to assign us. With the Black Panther Party, leather signified strength and resistance. With hip-hop culture came the freedom to demand respect regardless of class or clothing. A mix of fine tailoring and streetwear, sneakers and suits, furs and denim, polos and Timberland boots meant there were no restrictions. The one rule is to be cool with who you are, to understand that to simply be yourself in whatever you wear should command basic human decency over stereotypes. Advertisement Fashion changes and changes again. But throughout time, what we wear as a language remains. To define, for yourself, what is luxury and believe it so boldly that the masses follow your trend. In the tradition of dandyism, there is a throughline of subverting the politics of respectability and dressing freely. Dandyism is confidence and defiance of everything that told you to be small and quiet and controlled. It's not as simple as bespoke tailoring and couture we can't afford. It is to be outspoken in your personhood and loud in your liberation. Rihanna (left) and A$AP Rocky attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday in New York. Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP This piece is a part of , a weekly offering from Jeneé Osterheldt celebrating Black joy, resistance, and sharing space with other folks, too. Jeneé Osterheldt can be reached at
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
La La Anthony Honors Legacy of 'Visionary' Late Designer Virgil Abloh at 2025 Met Gala
La La Anthony stepped out in an archival Off-White design from the late designer Virgil Abloh, whom she called a friend as well as a "visionary" The theme of the 2025 Met Gala is "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," and the dress code is "Tailored for You" Anthony's Met Gala debut was in 2011 for the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" exhibition La La Anthony is booked, busy and beautiful at the 2025 Met Gala. The Power actress, who is no stranger to fashion's biggest night, was once again tapped to host Vogue's annual livestream of the Met Gala red carpet. For her hosting duties, Anthony stepped out in an archival Off-White design from the late Virgil Abloh that features half of a white tulle gown and half of a black jumpsuit, along with some glittering silver jewelry from Lorraine Schwartz. Speaking with Vogue ahead of the livestream, Anthony shared that she was inspired to wear the daring garment by Abloh's powerful legacy. "Virgil was more than a designer—he was a visionary, he was my friend, and someone who changed the entire game for so many of us," she told Vogue of the look, which Abloh designed for the fall 2020 Off-White collection. "I wanted to carry his legacy with me throughout the evening, to remind people of the doors he opened and the culture he built. It wasn't just fashion. It was love, history, and respect wrapped up in a beautiful garment." Related: 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style': The 2025 Met Gala Theme and Dress Code Explained 'What I loved most was that it was an archive design—it's an actual piece of fashion history,' Anthony added. 'The full-on gown, mixed with a sharp tailored pant, is a completely unexpected contrast that makes the look unforgettable. It's glam, but with edge—so me.' In October, Vogue announced Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour would be co-chairs for this year's Met Gala, alongside LeBron James as honorary chair. The event, which is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is a fundraiser for The Costume Institute and spotlights the museum's spring 2025 exhibition, 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which is the theme for the in Charge Andrew Bolton shared that the exhibit, which is inspired by guest curator Monica L. Miller's 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, explores 'the Black dandy as both a concept and an identity signifier.' The exhibit 'presents a cultural and historical examination of Black style from the 18th century to the present through an exploration of the concept of dandyism,' according to a post on the museum's Instagram. The Met Gala's dress code for this year is 'Tailored for You,' a nod to the exhibition's focus on menswear and suiting. The gala also has a star-studded host committee: Simone Biles and her husband, Jonathan Owens, as well as Doechii, Regina King, Spike Lee, Angel Reese and Usher. Speaking with Vogue, Anthony also shared that she knew from the moment she learned about the theme that she wanted to go all-out this year. "The Met Gala is always the most special and meaningful evening, but this one felt more powerful and even more personal to me," Anthony told the outlet. "Superfine is about more than looking fly. It's about the history, the pride, the statement behind the fit." "Black style has always set the tone, and to see tailoring and dandyism finally getting this kind of spotlight excites me," she added. "It's honoring the roots of our elegance—how we've always turned fashion into resistance, into joy, into art." Vogue's April 22 announcement also revealed that musician Teyana Taylor, 34, and Saturday Night Live cast member Ego Nwodim, 37, would be joining Anthony as hosts. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Before the 2023 Met Gala, the Total Request Live alum told PEOPLE why hosting for the Costume Institute meant so much to her. "The great thing about the Met Gala red carpet is that you never know what to expect or what you're going to see," she said. "There's always a surprise, like Zendaya when she came out in that Cinderella dress or Lady Gaga and all her dresses or Blake Lively when her dress changed colors when she moved it around. I'm just looking forward to what's going to be our 'wow' [moment.]" In 2024's theme of "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," Anthony wore a black, strapless mermaid gown with a corset-style bodice. The top portion featured a long-sleeve lace underlay that extended from her neck down to her fingertips. The bottom of her dress fanned out to reveal a red rose pattern. Related: See 50 of the Most Glamorous (and On-Theme!) Met Gala Outfits of All Time Anthony continued to follow the theme in her accessories, showing off a diamond petal purse. She wore her hair in a high ponytail with a single black ribbon to tie it. For the previous year, she arrived in all white and gold for "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty' as the Costume Institute paid tribute to the late German fashion designer and photographer, who died in February 2019 at the age of 85. ! Her one-shoulder design was perfectly tailored to curve to her body for sleek yet stylish sophistication. Her high ponytail and cat-eye sunglasses added a retro element to her look. Related: What to Expect from the 2025 Met Gala: All About the Cochairs, Ones to Watch and The Theme, 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' Ahead of the 2022 Met Gala, the actress spoke exclusively with the outlet for a behind-the-scenes interview as she got ready for the main event. 'Years ago, I remember always saying, 'If I ever go to the Met Gala, I'm it,'' she told Vogue as a hair and makeup team assisted with her glam at The Plaza Hotel. 'That was my bar for fashion. When you get invited, it's such an honor and an amazing thing, so you just want to have a good time and take it all in.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to the outlet, Rokael Lizama was credited with creating a dark eye-shadow look inspired by Aaliyah's vampire ruler Akasha in 2002's Queen of the Damned. Anthony made her Met Gala debut in 2011 for the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" exhibition. 'It's a great room with amazing people from all parts of entertainment, sports, politics, art and fashion,' she said of attending. 'So it's fun just to mix and mingle.' Always one to stun on the carpet, her 2016 look was no different. The Think Like a Man star turned heads in a gravity-defying plunging gown in varying shades of red by Nicolas Jebran with a smokey eye that was just as dramatic. Catch all the minute-by-minute fashion updates from the red carpet right here! Read the original article on People
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Anna Wintour banned these three ingredients from the Met Gala menu
Dinner at the Met Gala is as carefully curated as every other detail of the event. Stephen Colbert once revealed that guests had to wait for Anna Wintour to take her seat before they could begin their meal. Wintour's influence extends to the menu planning as well, with the Vogue editor-in-chief playing a significant role in selecting the dishes served at fashion's biggest night, ensuring everything aligns with the event's exclusive and polished atmosphere. Also Read: Anna Wintour explains why Met Gala this year is 'particularly meaningful' The Met Gala's blacklist goes beyond just celebrities—it also includes food. In addition to banning certain high-profile guests from attending, Anna Wintour has reportedly vetoed three foods from the event's menu. The food restrictions are part of the strict guidelines that help maintain the event's exclusive and meticulously curated atmosphere. These are chives, onions and garlic, as reported by E! News. A Vogue employee revealed to The Post that Wintour once put a ban on ingredients that might get stuck in teeth, such as parsley or could give guests a stinky breath, such as garlic or most importantly, had the potential to stain the luxurious couture guests wear to the event. Thus, the appetisers were designed in such a way that they could be easily eaten. Also Read: Benson Boone reveals North American tour to celebrate American Heart album: When does the ticket sale go live? While Wintour pays extreme precision to coordinate the food to the Met Gala's theme, it does not always work out the way it was expected. Sean Driscoll, owner of Glorious Food and longtime Met Gala caterer from 1995 to 2018, shared that serving lamb potpies for the 2011 gala themed "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" turned out to be a misstep as it resulted in 'a lot of special requests" as "many [guests] did not want to eat that." Visual appeal is just as important as taste when it comes to the Met Gala menu. The First Monday in May director Andrew Rossi recalled being surprised by the intense level of detail involved, especially during a tasting with Anna Wintour, where he watched her carefully scrutinise every element of the presentation to ensure it matched the elegance of the evening. He expressed, 'We see Anna literally going on her phone to look up the presentations of different food."
