Met Gala 2025 dress code announced

The fashion ball will take place on May 5

«Tailored for You» — this will be the dress code theme for the upcoming Met Gala 2025.

«The dress code is designed to provide guidelines and encourage creative interpretation,» explained the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The dress code aligns with the upcoming Costume Institute exhibition, titled Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which will focus on men’s fashion.

The exhibition is inspired by Monica Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, published in 2009. The book defines «Black dandyism» not only as an aesthetic concept but also as a political statement.

The dandy style is characterized by elegant and refined clothing, while Black dandyism serves as a strategy for reinterpreting one’s identity. This is particularly relevant in discussions of slavery and the transition to emancipation, a deeply significant topic in American history. The evening will be dedicated to this transformation.

«How Black individuals transformed from being enslaved, seen as objects of luxury and status, into independent personalities with their own stylistic expression — and ultimately became global trendsetters,» is how American Vogue describes the theme.

As for the dress code, Tailored for You allows for countless interpretations, but primarily, it invites looks that reflect personal style. We can certainly expect creative takes on tailoring — from versions of the zoot suit (a high-waisted men’s suit popular among jazz musicians in the 1940s) to bold, colorful ensembles inspired by the Congolese sapeurs.

Other key elements of men’s fashion, such as hats, ties, canes, brooches, and pocket squares, will also likely be prominently featured. The results will be revealed on May 5.

Photo: John Wronn