Black Dandyism In Action: The 2025 Met Gala Set Records While Amplifying Cultural Impact

Black danydism was at the center of this year’s Met Gala, and it was one of high anticipation, amplifying Black culture’s influence on fashion — and for some, mixed feelings tied to fears of appropriation.

There were plenty of stunning moments, including a pregnant Rihanna in Marc Jacobs and Andre 3000 with a piano replica on his back, and appearances from some of the most influential and powerful in entertainment, sports, and music. Each came with their diverse takes on the event’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”

It was the premier event of the night in New York City May 5, and raised $31 million for the Met’s Costume Institute — a record in its 77-year history.

The co-chairs reflected the diversity and fab factor of the festivities: award-winning actor Colman Domingo, British race car driver Lewis Hamilton, hip-hop artist and entrepreneur A$AP Rocky, entertainment and fashion powerhouse Pharrell Williams, and media executive Anna Wintour. LeBron James also served as an honorary chair.

The gala also served as the kickoff for an exhibition at the Met, available May 10 to Oct. 26. It’s curated by Monica L. Miller, author of Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, highlighting the evolution of Black men’s fashion from the era of enslaved individuals to modern-day icons like Pharrell Williams, CNN reports. 

Many took to social and their TVs to watch for those who hit the mark for the night’s theme or horribly missed it. Women celebrities known as trendsetting style and culture icons showed out, displaying their designer’s takes on Black dandyism, including Diana Ross, Rihanna, Teyana Taylor, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ciara, Janelle Monae, Cardi B, and more. Here are a few looks that took the night:

The men showed up and out as well, showcasing what the night was really about: one of pioneering firsts amplifying Black culture and influence in menswear in a way that hadn’t been done before. This was definitely evident in the looks of co-chairs Domingo, Hamilton, Pharell, and Rocky, mega-star Bad Bunny, along with other standouts of the night.

Modern dandyism is not merely about fashion but has served as a form of resistance against stereotypes and a declaration of autonomy. It’s a cultural and sartorial movement that intertwines fashion with identity, resistance, and self-expression, challenging prevailing racial and class norms. It has notable 18th century origins with the notably flamboyant style of figures like Julius Soubise, a formerly enslaved Afro-Caribbean man in Britain, or William Lee, George Washington’s enslaved valet.

In the U.S, dandyism would later be seen in the unique 1920s styling of the suits of men from the Midwest, to the Northeast, to the South. It would evolve into the 1940’s, during the Harlem Renaissance, where Black men embraced “zoot suits”. Then it would continue with fashion icons, artists, musicians, and entertainers into the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s and ‘80s, and reemerge in the mid ‘90s and early 2000s. Key figures like Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Andre Leon Talley, and Andre 3000 all embraced their own versions of dandyism.

There’s also global impact, with groups like the Swenkas in South Africa, everyday laborers and professional of the Congo (called the Sapuers), and the top-tier tailoring and print-mixing of Nigerian designers.

This year’s gala set a new bar and offered a glimpse of how the true impact of Black culture, influences as well as the importance of diversity and inclusion in the arts and other industries around the world.