Colman Domingo in Valentino

Colman had a lot of inspirations here, saying the blue "gives you choir, it gives you King," and noting it's inspired by a photo of Andre Leon Talley at the gala in a blue cape. He also said the color references history, and how "a freed slave wanted to wear his finest blue superfine wool suit."

in Valentino

He then threw off the cape to show this melange, which sadly we didn't get to hear him talk about.

Anna in Virgil Abloh/Vuitton

This is a tribute to a cloud coat that Virgil Abloh designed for Louis Vuitton men, and Anna collaborated with Pharrell on this. I think it was superb of them both to have Virgil present; his loss is still felt.

Live footage of the Papal conclave.

Lewis Hamilton in Wales Bonner

Grace Wales Bonner is a Black British designer. Lewis said they had several inspirations here: Africa and "the power of adornment," the Harlem Renaisssance, Cab Calloway, and "the white-on-white portraits by Barkley Hendricks." He looks impeccable.

Pharrell and Helen Lasichanh

Pharrell used the phrase "the sport of dandyism," and said it's about the working class: "You work your ass off all week, and when it's time for Sinday's finest, you put that stuff ON." He really turned it out; no jeans on this night.

He also said this was meant to be a tribute to pin stripes, but with pearls, which you can see a bit better up close.

A$AP Rocky

He said he designed this himself, and it was credited to his creative agency, AWGE. Their slogan is, "Rules: #1 Never reveal what AWGE means. #2 When in doubt always refer to rule #1." So basically, it's Fight Club?!? This is restrained in its way, but still so precise, even as he incorporated rain gear for the weather.

Savannah James in Hanifa

Someone on our Drinks With Broads chat said this is Cleveland Cavaliers colors, and that's actually kind of TRUE. She flew solo because Lebron has an injury, and I love that she got to represent them both. Fly, Savannah, fly. Having said that, the aesthetic of the midsection is not my favorite.

Also, HOW did she get up the stairs?!?

Janelle Monae in Thom Browne

I knew Janelle would feast; her entire aesthetic since she hit it big could apply to this theme. She looks like the world's coolest Magritte. Thom Browne and costume designer Paul Tazewell made this, which comes away...

The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" - Red Carpet

... to reveal this suit instead. She told the NYT, “I want to deconstruct respectability politics around suiting and around how Black people can show up in the world. I wanted to show that we get to decide who we are."

Sha'Carri Richardson in Valentino

Sha'Carri has SO much personality on the track, and she said she wanted this to reflect exactly who she is now: "I'm in my soft, black, rich era... Just like I do on the track, I’m just going to show up and float like I normally do." Except this feels like something Alessandro Michele was already making and just convinced her to take. She has so much more zip on the track.

Like, where are THOSE colors?!? The nails have it!

Tonya Lewis Lee and Spike Lee

Leave it to Spike to honor the Knicks, who played last night AND fought back from a 20-point deficit to win Game 1 of their series. You know Spike was watching on his phone. (Tonya looks excellent.)

Audra McDonald in Harbison

The NYT came through here with the details (gifted link): Harbison was inspired by Daughters of the Dust, "the 1991 film directed by Julie Dash about Gullah women living off the South Carolina and Georgia coast at the turn of the last century. (Many viewers have also connected the film’s distinctive imagery — breezy white skirts, mossy branches arching over a coastline — to Beyoncé’s 2016 visual album, “Lemonade.”)"

I was going to do a stairs shot, but this looked so striking from above, gorgeously fanned out.

Doechii in Louis Vuitton

She said this was inspired by a character called Julius fromSlaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, which itself inspired the exhibit. I love it, though I am never a fan of the logo stuff, so I find myself wishing it wasn't stamped with LV all over the place.

Tyla in Jacquemus

Law styled her, and cited a photo of Andre Leon Talley as the reference. Unfortunately, Tyla didn't get on the carpet until after Anna cut the live feed -- I like to imagine her physically pulling the plug at 5:45 with a grin -- and she looks a bit like she was running late and got stuck next to a misaligned hand dryer.

Usher (in Ralph Lauren) and Jennifer Goicoechea (in Sergio Hudson)

Excellent.

Angel Reese in Thom Browne

I didn't see anyone interview her, which is a bummer. I like how happy she looks, but this is not my favorite Thom Browne design, particularly the boobs that look like a sleep mask.

Ayo Edebiri in Ferragamo

She said this was a tribute to her father and grandfather, "the dandiest men in my life." And that it, and her hair styling, were inspired by Nigerian culture. She looks extremely cool.

Teyana Taylor

Costume design legend Ruth E. Carter made this for her. Enough said. She pared it down to run the mic with Ego Nwodim, but this was fantastically massive and so very Met.

The cape, which is beautiful, says HARLEM ROSE on it.

Ego Nwodim in Christopher John Rogers

So good. Function and fashion.

La La Anthony in archival Off White

This is also a tribute to Virgil Abloh; Off White was his label. It looks like she threw the dress over her shoulder and walked it over there to change.

Andre 3000

I thought that was a garbage bag for a second in his hand. It is AMAZING that something distracted me from his WEARABLE PIANO.

The Met Gala Hosts Put On a "Superfine" Red Carpet Display

What a night.