Latest news with #BlackStyle
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pharrell Williams and Audra McDonald on Putting Dandyism on Display at the Met Gala: ‘It's About Time'
The stars are out at the 2025 Met Gala, where the theme of the night is 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' and high-fashion dandyism looks are everywhere. The co-chairs for the 2025 gala are Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour, with LeBron James serving as an honorary chair. More from Variety Colman Domingo's Stylists on His Met Gala Look, Mood Boarding on Pinterest and Dandysim: 'It's Our Culture, Our Heritage, Black Excellence' Jake Gyllenhaal and Audra McDonald on Playing Broadway Villains, Stage Fright and Cellphones Disrupting Broadway Shows: 'I Snapped!' Pharrell Williams, Michel Gondry Scrap Their Movie Musical at Universal in Postproduction (EXCLUSIVE) Williams revealed that Wintour asked him to be a co-chair while they were eating breakfast at the Ritz. 'It was nice. I'm grateful to her for providing this platform for that special color Black. That American color Black,' he told Variety. When asked about his fashion icons, he said, 'The working class. The Black men of the working class. They do the hard work, but then when it's time to get fresh they get dandy and super fine. I'm inspired by the working class because that's where I come from.' The Met Gala host committee includes Audra McDonald, André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jordan Casteel, Dapper Dan, Doechii, Ayo Edebiri, Edward Enninful, Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rashid Johnson, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Janelle Monáe, Jeremy Pope, Angel Reese, Sha'Carri Richardson, Tyla, Usher and Kara Walker. McDonald, who just received a Tony nomination for her lead role in 'Gypsy,' said she was 'thrilled' to hear the theme of this year's gala. 'Honestly I thought, 'It's about time.' Someone just asked me where I think Black creativity came from and why is it what it is and I said, 'Because when we were taken away from our motherland, that's all we had. All we had was ourselves, our souls, our bodies.' From that, we survived and thrived.' She looked to her own family for fashion inspiration for her look. 'When it comes to dandyism, my granddaddy, may he rest in peace,' she said. 'He always looked sharp. Most of the men in my family actually. My dad, too, was a sharp dresser. That was important to them. It was important to the culture and it was very important to them. You look right, you do that not only for yourself to claim and be proud of yourself, but you do that for our race.' Variety's On the Carpet is presented by Panera. Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Madonna turns heads in a Regency-style pinstripe waistcoat and boots as she enjoys a private midnight visit to The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Madonna turned heads as she enjoyed a private visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Wednesday. The Queen of pop, 66, took to Instagram to share snaps of herself frolicking around the museum for the Superfine: Tailoring Black Style exhibition, which launched at the star-studded 2025 Met Gala. Taking style inspiration from the Costume Institute's spring show, Madonna wowed in a black and white pinstripe waistcoat layered over a white ruffled-trim shirt. She teamed it with a pair of distressed cut-out flared trousers which gave a glimpse of her thighs and square-toe lace up boots. Madonna added a long black jacket over the top of her look and accessorised with silver jewellery, a black fedora hat, and sunglasses. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. She captioned the post: 'Finally got a chance to see the new Frick collection, an 18th century Jewel box on 5th Avenue. Especially fond of Rembrandt. 'Dashed over to the Met to see the SuperFine Tailoring Black Style exhibition! What a treat! So nice to see without big crowds. Well done to everyone involved.' Superfine: Tailoring Black Style presents a cultural and historical examination of style over three hundred years through the concept of Black dandyism. Visitors walk through 12 sections - Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook, Heritage, Beauty, Cool and Cosmopolitanism. The exhibition features looks from 40 contemporary Black designers including Grace Wales Bonner, Ozwald Boateng, Labrum London, Botter, Telfar,, Jeffrey Banks, Luar, Willy Chavarria, Balmain's Olivier Rousteing, Fear of God, among others. Superfine: Tailoring Black Style opened on May 10 at The Met Fifth Avenue and will run until October 26. The Met Gala adopted a theme in line with the exhibition's style and Madonna joined other A-listers in honouring the artistic creations on the red carpet. She showed off a stunning natural look as she wowed in a cream silk Tom Ford suit, designed by Haider Ackermann. Sticking to the event's Tailored for You dress code, the iconic musician displayed her interpretation in a double-breasted jacket, white shirt, cummerbund and bowtie. The androgynous look was paired with a bold fuchsia lip and smoky eyeliner, while the star puffed on a cigar. The night also saw her make her red carpet debut with her younger boyfriend Akeem Morris, 29 - with the pair looking very loved-up. The duo were first romantically linked in July 2024, as the recording artist shared photos of them celebrating Independence Day in the Big Apple. But they've known each other since at least August 2022, when they posed alongside each other for a Paper magazine cover. Madonna will 'soon' re-release her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories and she's recording a sequel to her 2005 dance album, Confessions on a Dance Floor, with musical director Stuart Price. She is the world's best-selling female recording artist and the most successful solo artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with 44 No. 1 singles.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Met Gala's $552M Haul: How 3 Brands Won Fashion's Biggest Night
If you've ever wondered what a half-billion dollars in earned media value looks like, check your Instagram feed from the first Monday in May. With $31 million raised from $75,000 individual tickets and $350,000+ tables, the 2025 Met Gala had its most lucrative night yet in the event's 77-year history, transforming Anna Wintour's exclusive soirée into the fashion industry's marketing equivalent of the Super Bowl. While the night generated an estimated $552 million in earned media value and an engagement rate of 8.5% on Instagram alone, brands throwing their couture into the ring made out like bandits. Unsurprisingly, Louis Vuitton emerged as the undisputed champion, generating $154.1 million in EMV as the official sponsor. But PR teams for Marc Jacobs ($94.7 million, boosted by Rihanna's viral pregnancy reveal), Valentino ($67.2 million, thanks to making co-chair Colman Domingo the most superfine of the dandies), and Thom Browne ($56.3 million by dressing over 10 VIP guests) were also popping Moët & Chandon. Even beauty and accessories brands cashed in, with Kylie Cosmetics generating $16.5 million EMV and Cartier claiming $8.8 million. This year's theme, 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' focused on Black dandyism, or the fashion presentation of Black men, from the 18th century to present day, providing rich storytelling opportunities for brands bold enough to take advantage. Over 260 attendees created content directly from the Gala, with 1,200+ media accounts amplifying the evening. Every stiletto and platform heel climbing those hallowed stairs became cold, hard marketing currency. The question, though, isn't who wore it best, but who worked smartest. Independent stylist Carlos Alonso Parada built his business fortunes literally on the back of the socialite he hand-delivered to the 'Best Dressed List.' Global beauty brand Olaplex snuck in as entourage to elite celebrity stylist ambassadors. And Lexus simply did what the luxury carmaker does best, discreetly joining conversations with tastemakers to prove true luxury speaks softly. For independent stylists, the Met Gala is a game of high risk and even higher reward. One perfectly executed moment can transform your entire business model. Carlos Alonso Parada understood this in 2024 when he took on the challenge of styling Sabrina Harrison, a philanthropist with great taste but no red carpet recognition. Parada's choice of a surrealist Dalí-inspired look from designer Chris Habana, featuring melting clocks and a chrome handbag with a working video screen, landed Harrison on every best-dressed list and Parada into fashion's inner circle. 'We went in knowing she wasn't a celebrity, and she probably wasn't going to get any attention,' Parada recalled. 'Any attention was going to be cool, but we were embraced and loved by New York City.' The reward was international press recognition, industry credibility, and the kind of word-of-mouth buzz money can't buy. Parada's success shows how the Met Gala can restructure an entire career trajectory. By navigating everything from design collaboration to Anna Wintour's last-minute approval process, he exhibited a talent agility that separates weekend warriors from industry professionals. What began as a one-off styling opportunity evolved into year-round demand, while his vintage fashion rental business became a required resource for stylists seeking rare pieces (like the 1995 Thierry Mugler corset leather jacket he found at an Ohio estate sale.) The longer-term payoffs have proven even more valuable. Parada now has major design houses competing for his attention, shipping custom pieces in anticipation of his next cultural moment. He's also become extremely selective of who he dresses. 'My policy is, I work with you on everything or not at all,' he explained. 'I don't work with anyone who just wants me to dress them for one night because I want to know your closet inside and out.' This nonnegotiable policy of total wardrobe immersion makes perfect sense to those who witnessed his talent on fashion's biggest stage. After all, his Met Gala success shows what miracles can happen when clients trust his vision completely. While independent stylists like Parada leverage the Met Gala's flashbulb visibility to build personal brands, some companies prefer to become part of a trusted entourage. Olaplex has built its entire marketing strategy around supporting stylists who celebrities trust for their most luminous looks. The company hosts intimate global events for their ambassador stylists, nurturing relationships based on mutual respect and professional alignment. Thus, when ambassador Vernon François styles the hair of Doja Cat, Natasha Lyonne and Lupita Nyong'o for the Met Gala using Olaplex products (specifically credited in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar coverage), it's because he believes in them. 'Our pros, the stylists, and the colorists, they're the biggest advocates because they're the ones that actually use the product in their service, in their craft,' Katherine Gohman, Olaplex's chief marketing officer, told me. 'They think of themselves as craftsmen, as artists. Colorists are painters, and stylists are sculptors.' François's work was widely covered in the press, with Olaplex explicitly named as central to the styling process. This coverage, along with added publicity from Nikki Nelms using Olaplex to style Janelle Monáe's hair, likely generated $5-15 million in earned media value, consistent with typical returns seen across high-profile beauty moments involving major influencers and editorial coverage. 'I personally think the ROI is so high on this,' Gohman said. Specialty retail sales, driven by consumer-facing channels like Sephora, jumped 12% in Q1 2025. While the Gala happened after Q1, pre-Gala activations likely helped drive that momentum. 'With the Met Gala, the entire event is about the fashion, and it goes beyond fashion into the entire look,' Gohman continued. 'The entire package is about storytelling, which is why I think you get even higher ROI from it.' Olaplex didn't sponsor the Met Gala, but made itself essential to key components of the Gala storytelling. Behind-the-scenes content with Olaplex products front and center carried the weight of professional endorsement, expressing authenticity to beauty-obsessed consumers who no longer trust sponsored content. When GQ offered Lexus the exclusive automotive sponsorship for its first-ever Met Gala After Party, the luxury automaker saw an answer to its generational blind spot. While the company was experiencing record-breaking sales with GX and TX models attracting 70% new-to-brand buyers, 'passionate visionaries'—those 28- to 45-year-old affluent millennials and Gen Z consumers who represent the future of luxury automotive sales—weren't paying attention. 'We're fifth in consideration behind some of the other luxury autos for the younger generation,' Lindsay Smelser, general manager of Lexus marketing, admitted. 'Our research has shown we have slipped a little bit in terms of brand sentiment and luxury consideration.' And then GQ drove up, just as Lexus was launching Blair Underwood as their new spokesperson. The GQ Met Gala After Party marked Underwood's debut as the Lexus embodiment of refined masculinity and cultural sophistication. 'We jumped at the opportunity because we just felt like that was such a perfect intersection of fashion and luxury,' Smelser said. 'We're trying to be very culturally relevant in the young affluent space and finding areas where they show up.' Instead of logo-heavy activations, the campaign involved what Smelser calls 'symbiotic organic relationships.' Underwood appeared in GQ's 'get ready with me' content, arriving at the party in the Lexus LX 700h Ultra Luxury while being styled by Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, the Los Angeles-based duo who also work with Met Gala co-chair Colman Domingo. At the After Party, hosted by André 3000 and attended by Domingo, Lewis Hamilton and Zendaya, guests received boutonnieres inspired by Monica Miller's book on Black dandyism, with understated Lexus branding quietly integrated throughout the affair. The party generated substantial social media buzz, with Lexus vehicles featured prominently in social media content from attendees and the press. 'We really want it to be subtle,' Smelser noted. 'When you're at these places, you don't want it to come across as too corporate.' Lexus's approach meets the passionate pursuit of luxury through restraint rather than ostentation, whispering its excellence into the subconscious, where decisions are often made before the conscious mind can engage. It's an approach drawn directly from two foundational Japanese principles at the core of the brand's identity: Omotennashi, a hospitality so thoughtful it anticipates needs before they're known, creating seemingly effortless experiences through invisible labor; and Takumi, the master craftsman's relentless pursuit of perfection to engineer something so flawlessly functional, it ages gracefully. The Met Gala is a little bit celebrity pageantry, and a lot of savvy marketing built on smart, long-game cultural fluency. Here are five takeaways for CMOs who want to capture the benefits without ever stepping on the red carpet: If you want to see how modern brands win hearts, headlines, and hashtags, look at the Met Gala. With $552 million in earned media value generated in a single night, the Gala is marketing's most valuable proof of concept. You don't need Anna Wintour's contact information to make the Met Gala work for your brand, however. You only need timing, taste, and a seat in the cultural conversation. Tomorrow's luxury consumers won't choose brands based on product specifications alone. They'll select partners who respect their cultural identity.
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The Art Of The Met's Digital Storytelling
For over a century, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has stood as a symbol of cultural authority, curating over 5,000 years of art and history. But in today's digital-first world, relevance requires more than preservation — it demands participation. And right now, that participation is happening on TikTok. By leaning into digital storytelling early, The Met positioned itself as a cultural leader online, using creative formats to captivate audiences and connect its rich history to the present. The Magic of The Met Gala More than a glamorous red carpet, the Met Gala marks the opening of the Costume Institute's annual spring exhibition. This year, the exhibit "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" set the tone for both the gallery's and the Gala's theme. The event became a cultural catalyst, with #metgala generating over 937.2K TikTok posts and sparking months of conversation around Black style, culture, and identity. By leaning into TikTok, The Met is creating space for new voices, new narratives, and a broader cultural dialogue. Year after year, it transforms a single night into a worldwide conversation about fashion, culture, and the power of art to inspire. Now that the iconic night has passed, let's explore The Met's digital evolution, and the strategy that has turned a historic institution into a dynamic, global storyteller. 2025 Theme The 2025 Met Gala placed Black excellence in fashion at the forefront. This year's spring exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, explored the pivotal role of sartorial expression in shaping Black identity and culture. The event brought together a powerhouse group of co-chairs — Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour — with LeBron James serving as honorary chair. A diverse Host Committee further reflected the theme's celebration of individuality and influence. The dress code, Tailored for You, paid tribute to the exhibition's focus on suiting and menswear. Building Hype for This Year's Event The Met's compelling TikTok presence isn't accidental. It's a masterclass in digital storytelling, designed to engage a global audience through diverse formats. Key approaches include: Through its focus on rich storytelling, educational content, and high-quality formats, The Met effectively maintains its authority as a key cultural institution while increasing its relevance by tapping into the energy of the fashion zeitgeist in the digital space. Creators Amplify Anticipation The Met's official TikTok account provides expert insights and historical context, but much of the Met Gala excitement is fueled by TikTok's creator community through content such as: The Metropolitan Museum of Art is rewriting the playbook on cultural relevance. By embracing platforms like TikTok and others, it has transformed The Met Gala from a one-night event into a months-long digital conversation. TikTok, in turn, has become the virtual red carpet — a global stage where creators, commentators, and fans engage in real time. But The Met Gala is just one part of a broader strategy. The Met is using digital platforms to democratize culture, foster deeper engagement, and make art and fashion more accessible to audiences everywhere — staying part of the cultural conversation long after the red carpet is rolled up. To learn more about building a digital-first event strategy, visit TikTok's Publisher Insights Hub.
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Nicole Kidman loves changing her hair
Nicole Kidman updated her look by wearing a wig to the Met Gala. The 57-year-old Hollywood superstar has revealed she loves "changing" her hair after shocking fans by sporting a short cropped style to attend the glitzy fashion event in New York earlier this month - admitting she spent the whole night fielding questions about her hair cut after debuting the wig on the red carpet. During an appearance on Australian TV show 'Sunrise', Nicole explained: "As you know, I love changing my hair. So the Met Gala ... everyone's like: 'Did you chop your hair off?' I'm like: 'No, I did not'." The event's theme was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style and Nicole's hair stylist Adir Abergel revealed the cut was a nod to "Dandyism". In a post on Instagram, Adir explained: "Met Gala 2025: The Superfine tailored short cut. The inspiration was a tailored short cut that brought out the essence of Dandyism on Nicole Kidman. "I wanted to celebrate this years theme by honoring the Dandies and their individuality, elegance, and confidence - where every detail is tailored to that unique person." Nicole used to sport long curly hair, but she previously revealed she lost her "ringlets" because she "tortured them to death" by straightening her hair so much. She told Who magazine: "I really wanted to have that suntanned skin and long blonde hair. I wanted to conform and be the Aussie beach girl. And I was never going to be that ... "I wish I had my curls back. I tortured them to death. I always say, 'Don't ruin the ringlets!'" She later added to the The Sunday Morning Herald: "Do I wish that I hadn't screwed up my hair by straightening it all the time? Sure." Nicole also admitted she wishes she'd been "more careful" with sun cream in her younger years after previously dealing with skin cancer. She added to the publication: "I've had skin cancer; do I wish I'd been more careful with the sun? Yes, to all those things. "But am I grateful to be around? Oh, yeah. And am I willing to share my knowledge, what I've learnt along the way? Absolutely."
