Met Gala pays tribute to Black fashion and designers and includes Rihanna pregnancy surprise

The 2025 Met Gala is underway, with celebrities showing off stunning looks on the (metaphorically) red carpet.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala this year celebrates the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition.

This year, it's about tailoring and suiting as interpreted through the history and meaning of Black dandyism across the Atlantic diaspora.

The biggest night in fashion has finally arrived, with A-listers, designers, influencers, and more gathering in the heart of New York City at the Met Gala, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s highly anticipated annual celebration for opening its new Costume Institute exhibit.

This year’s exhibit theme is "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," inspired by scholar Monica Miller's book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Superfine is sure to be a memorable exhibit, as it marks the first time since 2003 that the Costume Institute has centered an exhibit on menswear. Tonight's dress code is "Tailored for You," so we can expect a plethora of avant-garde takes on impeccably tailored suits and other hallmarks of menswear.

Right out of the gate, you can bet on jaw-dropping outfits from the evening's co-chairs Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams. Honorary co-chair LeBron James, however, will not be in attendance due to an injury. Other confirmed celebrities attending who are sure to wow on the red carpet include Ayo Edebiri, Janelle Monáe, Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Simone Biles, and more.

Rihanna shut down a rainy Met Gala on Monday in a pinstripe look and a huge hat, her newly announced baby bump on display after announcing her pregnancy with baby No. 3 earlier in the day.

Her Marc Jacobs look included tied sleeves of a men’s suit that served as a bustle behind her as she posed for the cameras, the last to walk the carpet as usual. Her hair hung long in a mermaid twist behind her.

Men’s suiting and tailoring were the evening’s theme. It came complete with a tuxedoed choir and lots of women rocking pinstripes and other men’s detailing. Emma Chamberlain, Zendaya, Teyana Taylor, and many other women went with traditional men’s detailing.

Rihanna attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Chamberlain and Zuri Hall were among those who wore sleek, sexy gowns that played on men’s suiting in pinstripes as they walked up the grand steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Zendaya, a co-host last year, wore a perfectly tailored white trouser suit with a matching wide-brim hat from Louis Vuitton.

Janelle Monáe epitomized the night’s theme, the Black dandy, in exaggerated pinstripes by Thom Browne. Lauryn Hill honored menswear in a butter yellow suit with exaggerated tailoring that screamed Black power.

The menswear vibe for women was frequent and expected, “women wanting to maintain a traditionally feminine dress silhouette while still respecting the theme,” said William Dingle, director of style for blackmenswear.com, a cultural impact agency that focuses on uplifting Black men.

Zendaya attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Alicia Keys and her husband, Swizz Beatz, leaned WAY in on the pinstripes in red. She rocked a head of bejeweled braids. He rocked a do-rag.

Alicia Keys, left, and Swizz Beatz attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Doja Cat, always fearless when it comes to fashion, donned a Marc Jacobs bodysuit look with orange and black wildcat detailing and broad-shouldered pinstripes. Taylor went for a stunning Zoot Suit look with a red, feather-adorned top hat and a huge matching cape dripping with flowers and bling. She collaborated with famed costume designer Ruth E. Carter.

Doja Cat attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The Zoot was popularized in Harlem in the 1940s.

Madonna, “no stranger to gender-bending fashion,” Dingle said, showed up in a monochrome taupe tuxedo clutching a cigar. It was Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann, the designer who took over when Ford stepped aside.

Madonna attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Kylie Jenner, in Ferragamo, mimicked men’s tailoring in a gray and black corseted look, while sister Kim Kardashian went embossed black leather dandy, vamping under a tall black hat. Her custom look was by Chrome Hearts. It was low slung and open at the hip with broad straps at the back.

Sister Kendall Jenner was in an elegant skirt and jacket, the most subdued of the three. The designer was the British-Nigerian-Brazilian designer Torishéju Dumi.

Kendall Jenner attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

And then there were the bombshells ...

Megan Thee Stallion in Michael Kors and Dua Lipa in black Chanel included. Megan’s look had a high side slit and floral lace embellishment. Lipa was giving elevated flapper in feathers and an “S” curl style for her hair. And Miley Cyrus oozed womanhood in a custom cropped black crocodile jacket and long black taffeta skirt by Alaïa.

Miley Cyrus attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Dua Lipa, left, and Callum Turner attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Diana Ross, meanwhile, swallowed the carpet in a huge white train, escorted by her son, Evan Ross.

Diana Ross attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Lizzo attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Lizzo debuted blonde hair to go with her pink and black Christian Siriano gown with a plunge at the front. It was so tight on the legs that she struggled to walk.

Cardi B, who always goes big at the Met Gala, stunned in a low-cut Burberry pantsuit. She showed off a new hairstyle and eye color, appearing to wear green contacts to match her ivy-colored look.

The standouts among the men

As for the men, co-host A$AP Rocky told The Associated Press that Anna Wintour suggested he wear a Black designer.

A$AP Rocky attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Anna Wintour attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

“So I wore myself,” the musician said of his custom suit designed by his creative agency, AWGE, complete with a black parka and diamond-crested umbrella. “Everything is designed by yours truly.”

Rocky, Rihanna’s partner and dad to their two kids, confirmed to reporters that baby No. 3 is on the way. He spoke about it after Rihanna was photographed walking in the rain with her baby bump out in a blue crop top and skirt.

“It feels amazing, you know,” Rocky said. “It’s time that we show the people what we were cooking up. And I’m glad everybody’s happy for us ’cause we're definitely happy, you know.”

He added, “Honestly, it’s a blessing nonetheless. Because you know how some people in other situations at times can be envious of other people. But we’ve been seeing love for the most part. And we are really receptive to that and appreciate that, you know what I mean? That’s love. Love is love.”

The dress code explained

Teyana Taylor attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

What, exactly, was the suggested dress code of the night, “Tailored for You,” is inspired by Black dandyism. And what, exactly, is the Met Gala for? To raise money for the Met’s Costume Institute. The gala raised a record $31 million before it began.

Marie Claire, editor in chief of Marie Claire, noted a few trends done well.

“Top trends from the night: Black and white (Zoe Saldaña, Whoopi Goldberg, Gabrielle Union), pinstripes (Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats), suiting (Lupita Nyong’o, Ego Nwodim), hats (Lupita Nyong’o, Whoopi Goldberg and Teyana Taylor).”

More on the men

Colman Domingo, one of the evening’s hosts, wore a pleated, gold-adorned cape over a gray and black suit, his jacket a pearled windowpane design with a huge dotted black flower. His look, including his cape and a dotted black scarf around his neck, evoked the late André Leon Talley, the fashion icon who made history as a rare Black editor at Vogue.

Colman Domingo attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Domingo, in Valentino, arrived with Vogue’s Wintour, dressed in a pastel blue coat over a shimmery white gown by Louis Vuitton, a gala sponsor. Fellow co-chair Lewis Hamilton donned a jaunty ivory tuxedo with a cropped jacket, a matching beret, and cowrie shell embellishment.

Hamilton’s look carried deep meaning.

“The color of ivory denotes purity and status; cowries pass from hand to hand, the regal sash turns shamanic,” he wrote on Instagram.

Claire Stern, Elle's digital director, added: “Known for championing Black designers, the F1 star once again used his platform to celebrate heritage and creativity on one of fashion’s biggest stages.”

Domingo has epitomized contemporary dandyism in a variety of looks over the years.

Pharrell Williams, another co-host, was demure in a double-breasted, beaded evening jacket and dark trousers. He kept his dark shades on while posing for the cameras. Williams walked with his wife, Helen Lasichanh, in a black bodysuit and matching jacket.

Helen Lasichanh, left, and Pharrell Williams attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Williams, the Louis Vuitton menswear creative director, said his 15,000 pearls were arranged in a pinstripe design and the jacket took 400 hours to construct.

Walton Goggins, a guest this year with others from “The White Lotus,” wore a deconstructed suit look with seams out and a pleated skirt he twirled for the cameras.

LeBron James, the NBA superstar, was named honorary chair of the evening but bowed out at the last minute due to a knee injury.

Other Met Gala looks that stood out

Monica L. Miller, whose book inspired the evening, wore a bejeweled cropped cape over a dress adorned with cowrie shells by Grace Wales Bonner. It’s a direct connection to a piece in the gala’s companion Metropolitan Museum of Art spring exhibit that Miller guest curated.

What other women killed the menswear game? Coco Jones in an ivory tuxedo coat with a train over matching trousers, both covered in chunky embellishment.

Lewis Hamilton attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Pharrell Williams attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Colman Domingo departs The Carlyle Hotel prior to attending The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)

“Coco Jones absolutely leaned in,” Dingle said. “I love the pearl and gem embellishments here, as well as the long coat, and even the necklace. Because she’s taller, the long coat even further elongates her legs. This is a fantastic look.”

Her look was by Indian designer Manish Malhotra. She said she wanted to honor Black excellence by going all out.

Gigi Hadid, on the other hand, went all woman. She pulled up the spirit of Josephine Baker in a shimmery velvet gold halter gown by Miu Miu that hugged her hips, hip hugging being a big trend of the night for the women.

Gigi Hadid attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Bad Bunny, ever a fashion rebel, wore a custom black Prada suit. The best detail: his woven hat, which appeared to be a reference to the pava, a straw hat associated with the Puerto Rican jíbaro.

Emma Chamberlain attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Janelle Monáe embraced Black dandyism’s elegance at the Met Gala in an all-star collaboration with Oscar winner Paul Tazewell and designer Thom Browne, completing her look with a sparkling ethical diamond brooch from 1800 Tequila for a finishing touch.

Known for turning heads with her gala looks, Monáe strutted the carpet in a black, red, and white pin-striped suit tailored to her frame with sharp, pointy shoulders. She topped the suit with a black top hat and wore a small black-and-gold clock over her left eye. She wore the tequila diamond brooch tucked beneath her outer jacket, ultimately revealing it on her tie — a bold statement honoring her ancestors and dandy-dressing family members while celebrating a more conscious approach to fashion jewelry.

Monáe said the ensemble she revealed Monday honored her ancestors and dandy-dressing family members while celebrating a more conscious approach to fashion jewelry.

“It felt like the right statement to make in fashion,” the Grammy-nominated performer told The Associated Press in a recent interview before the gala. She felt like she was back in art school to do a group project with Tazewell and Browne, calling the collaboration “one of a kind.”

In March, Tazewell made history at the Oscars, becoming the first Black man to win best costume design. Browne gave Monáe her first suit when, she says, “nobody else would,” and designed her 2023 Met Gala red carpet ensemble: an oversized half-black, half-white tweed suit worn over a hoop skirt that earned rave reviews.

“Just having all three of our minds together around this theme, it’s honestly the most exciting thing,” Monáe said. “The experience of us creating this look together, putting our heads together, getting excited and dreaming up whatever we wanted to dream has been the best part of it all.”

With Black dandyism carving its place in Met Gala history, Monáe found sentimental value in wearing the 1800 Tequila ethical diamond, a gem not mined from the earth, but crafted from the brand’s Cristalino tequila, with the brooch design inspired by the crystalline bottle.

“Knowing the impact that traditional diamond mining has had on African nations, it felt important to me that this piece reflected a more conscious and considered approach to jewelry wearing,” said Monáe, who is a part of the host committee alongside the likes of Simone Biles, Spike Lee, Ayo Edebiri and André 3000.

Monáe is one of the many cultural powerhouses leading Black dandyism into the fashion spotlight at the Met Gala, as the Metropolitan Museum of Art unveils its new costume exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” It marks the Met’s first show centered exclusively on Black designers and the first in more than two decades to spotlight menswear. It’s also a tribute to the rich legacy of dandyism, a style that has long carved space for radical self-expression, especially for those overlooked or misunderstood.

Monáe said she was in awe of the technology used to craft the diamond from tequila. The tequila was aged for 16 months in both new American and French oak barrels before being finished in port wine casks for an additional six months.

“It gives a rare brilliance and shine,” she said. “I’m future-focused, and I feel like this should be the future of diamond making. Something more ethical. Something safe to wear.”

André Leon Talley’s presence could be felt everywhere at the Met Gala on Monday. The late creative director and editor at large of Vogue magazine, who died in 2022 at age 73, heavily influenced the spirit of the costume exhibit, where one of his suits was featured, and the glitzy event itself.

Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour wrote extensively about her old colleague in her editor’s letter last month, writing that she would be “thinking of him on the night of the Met Gala, an evening made for him — and one I can scarcely believe he will miss.”

And she was hardly the only one. Many attendees, as diverse as Anne Hathaway and Rev. Al Sharpton, had Talley top of mind as they walked the blue carpet Monday. Hathaway, in Carolina Herrera, said she dressed specifically for him.

“We wanted André Leon Talley to look down from heaven and scream ‘GLAMOUR,’” Hathaway said on the Vogue livestream.

Sharpton, meanwhile, wanted to spotlight Talley’s trailblazing contributions to the fashion world. He said that people like Talley fought to have a night like this. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the first Costume Institute exhibit to focus exclusively on Black designers.

“I know André Leon Talley is looking down on us, smiling,” Sharpton said. “That’s why I had to be here. And I had to be as dandy as I could.”

Event co-chair Colman Domingo seemed to pay homage to Talley’s passion for dramatic capes, and possibly even the look that Talley wore in 2011, with his bright blue Valentino.

Some were more obvious. Actor Tessa Thompson wore a fan accessory with the late, famed Vogue editor pictured on the front, and model Paloma Elsesser wore a leather jacket decorated with his face while on her way to get ready for the event.

And others got extra creative, channeling Talley’s infectious exuberance. Doechii, who is on the host committee, recreated a famous photograph of Talley joyfully bounding out of a hotel, with a larger-than-life smile, a tennis racket and arms full of Louis Vuitton luggage.

The point, everyone seemed to understand, was to have fun with it. Talley would have.

“André knew who he was, and I know how much he would have adored 'Superfine,” every aspect of it,” Wintour wrote.

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