Known by Vogue as “fashion’s biggest night,” the Met Gala is a chance for Hollywood’s A-listers to execute ensembles that resemble works of art rather than clothes. Each year, a theme is chosen based on the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute’s spring exhibition.
The theme for 2025 is “Tailored for You,” based on the museum’s spring exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” focusing on tailored menswear. The exhibit draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.”
“I think the dress code is particularly interesting because it specifically highlights menswear, which hasn’t been highlighted at the Met in 20 years,” said Ellie Curshellas, sophomore in LAS and fashion runway director of Circular Fashion Expo. “The theme is also very based on individuality and how people express themselves. That ties into the idea of the exhibition, which is to empower Black Americans and people of color.”
Gender roles are often reversed at the Met, with women showing out in bright, intricate textiles while men take a backseat with plain suits. In 2025, men are encouraged to take a more active seat at the table and fully embrace the theme.
“I do think it’s good that a lot more men will have the opportunity to show up and show out, as they haven’t been doing (so) for the past couple of years,” said Thomas Sanders, senior in Media and former director of operations at The Fashion Network. “I’m also very excited to see how women and non-binary celebrities are able to encapsulate this theme with their personal takes.”
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The concept of “Tailored for You” is that participants will show up in an outfit that is tailored to them and embraces their creativity.
“The Met has always been boundary-pushing in terms of art, especially given their past exhibits — and even though the theme is menswear, it still allows participants to be as creative as they want, which is exactly what the Met is going for,” Curshellas said.
More than just highlighting men’s fashion, the theme also spotlights Black American style. Superfine has deep roots in history and aims to “explore the role of sartorial in forming Black identities, focusing on the emergence, significance and proliferation of the Black Dandy,” according to Vogue.
“I feel like this theme is hinting at how Black people, as a culture, used fashion and creativity to not only express themselves but also use it as a survival skill and as a form of resistance and resilience,” said Monique Robinson, junior in LAS and former editor-in-chief at The Fashion Network.
The deep-rooted history of the upcoming theme is different from the other historical themes the Met has taken up in the past. In the last decade, the Met has highlighted Eurocentric themes tied to historical and contemporary Western culture.
This is the first time the Met will show an in-depth history of fashion and art for Black Americans.
“The Met Gala has been very informative,” Robinson said. “I don’t know much about the OG fashion styles, like the ’90s and ’80s and all these themes that have roots going back centuries. You always get to learn more about the theme.”
With the history behind the exhibition being so rich and personal, there are questions about whether the theme will be properly executed and whether the choice of theme is genuine.
“I think (the theme) is long overdue; however, given that the Met Gala is a historically white event, as a majority of the celebrities on the red carpet are white, I do think that it’s an interesting choice,” Sanders said. “I am worried about how certain individuals will choose their outfits.”
The operation of the Met is to raise money for the museum. Each year, the profits from the event hit well within the eight-figure range. The event is broadcasted as a way for art to be nationally highlighted but has also fallen under scrutiny due to classist and disingenuous intent.
“It’s hard for me to tell or even trust if they’re being genuine, just because it is the Met, and it is about money,” Robinson said. “Is it authentic, or are they trying to do it because it’s time — they need to because they’re trying to be woke?”
The theme is undoubtedly a step in a different direction. It will be a new area of exploration for big-name designers who have grown comfortable within the customary, occidental exhibitions.
“I feel like larger designers might do collaborations with up-and-coming Black designers, but given that a lot of them have a capitalistic mindset and they will see this as an opportunity to promote themselves — just knowing how they are — I don’t feel like they will take this as a chance to step back,” Sanders said.
In the past, there have been known to be oddball looks at the Met that do not pertain to the exhibit’s theme. This year, the demands are higher, and the intricacies in the concept for this year’s Met are not to be ignored.
“This is a theme that needs to be taken seriously,” Robinson said. “It’s connected with deep roots in history with real ties to real people. I just hope people respect the theme, keep it nice and classy but still have fun with it.”
