There are Met Galas you forget by the end of the week, and then there are nights like this—when style tells a story louder than flashbulbs. With “Tailored for You” as its prompt and the Metropolitan Museum’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style exhibition as its backbone, Met Gala 2025 asked its guests for more than aesthetic—it asked for homage, intent, and a little soul. And some showed up with all three stitched into every seam.
Here’s who got it right.
Madonna in Tom Ford
After a seven-year absence, Madonna returned like a phoenix in tailored noir. Her Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann creation didn’t scream—it spoke slowly, coolly, like someone with nothing left to prove. It was the modern dandy as dominatrix: crisp, controlled, and quietly commanding. The queen of reinvention reminded us she still has the wardrobe to match her legacy.
Lewis Hamilton in Wales Bonner
No stranger to fashion’s intersection with culture, Lewis Hamilton stood tall in ivory Wales Bonner. Co-chairing the event, he led by example—an ode to sartorial elegance that felt more like spiritual armor than red carpet fluff. It was minimalist, but never empty; a lesson in how less can still speak volumes when the tailoring is this intentional.
Kim Kardashian in Chrome Hearts
Kim Kardashian’s leather-heavy Chrome Hearts ensemble played more like a music video fantasy than a fashion history essay, but that’s not necessarily a flaw. She walked the line between couture and cosplay, and if it lacked thematic depth, it delivered on spectacle. Kim rarely comes to blend in—and she didn’t.
Doja Cat in Custom Marc Jacobs
Doja Cat continues to blur the line between performance art and fashion, and her 1980s-inspired Marc Jacobs look nailed the brief with theatrical flair. Power shoulders, sculptural edges, and unapologetic glam—this was Dynasty with a trap beat. Her outfit didn’t just echo a decade; it rewrote it with her own chaotic charisma.
Bad Bunny in Prada
Bad Bunny came dressed for a fashion sermon, and we listened. In brown Prada, crystal-studded gloves, and a nostalgic bowling bag, he struck a balance between tongue-in-cheek accessorizing and cultural homage. But it was the pava hat—a gesture toward his Puerto Rican roots—that made this one of the night’s most heartfelt and stylish tributes.
Dua Lipa in Chanel
Dua Lipa played the classic card, and it worked. Her beaded black Chanel gown was straight out of a 1930s silver screen dream, but its restraint gave it weight. Against the night’s louder moments, her look whispered a different kind of power—one rooted in legacy, not volume.
Jodie Turner-Smith in Custom Burberry
Leave it to Jodie Turner-Smith to pull off red leather and still make it look regal. Her custom Burberry ensemble was fierce, futuristic, and very much in control. The bold hat didn’t just top the look—it anchored it in drama. Few understand fashion as a form of presence like she does.
Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz in Moncler x EE72
Matching stripes, coordinated cool, and a marriage of hip-hop sensibility with high fashion: Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz were pure synchronicity. Dressed by Edward Enninful’s Moncler x EE72, the duo understood that when tailoring meets rhythm, style becomes harmony.
Cynthia Erivo in Givenchy
Cynthia Erivo never shows up halfway. Her sculptural Givenchy gown, laced with silver gems and blood-red accents, was operatic in its drama. The corset-style bodice added structure, but it was the emotion in the garment—the tension, the lift, the polish—that made it memorable.
Cardi B in Burberry
Velvet isn’t easy. Tailored velvet in forest green? That’s a high wire act. But Cardi B balanced it with ease, bringing a richness that could’ve felt heavy but instead radiated glamor. Her Burberry look wasn’t just fashion—it was mood: decadent, deliberate, and daring.
Jenna Ortega in Balmain
Jenna Ortega wore a gown that could’ve passed for armor. Her Balmain piece, designed by Olivier Rousteing, fused metallic panels with red carpet sensuality, evoking both Joan of Arc and a post-apocalyptic debutante. She’s not just dressing up—she’s building a fashion identity in real time.
Tems in Ankara
Tems didn’t just wear a look—she carried a continent. Her Ankara gown, vibrant and voluminous, was more than color and cut; it was culture, sewn with pride. The matching umbrella was theatrical, sure—but also deeply symbolic. Africa was in the building, and it was undeniable.
Colman Domingo in Custom Valentino
Colman Domingo’s early arrival set the tone. Dressed in a custom blue cape by Valentino, he looked like a man stepping into destiny, not just a gala. The actor and co-chair embraced the theme with elegance and authority, proving once again that masculinity and style are not mutually exclusive.
Jennie in Chanel
Jennie’s black tuxedo-inspired Chanel gown was a quiet triumph. It honored Coco Chanel’s legacy without falling into cosplay, merging K-pop cool with Parisian poise. It may not have screamed “look at me,” but for those paying attention, it was a masterclass in precision.
Teyana Taylor in Marc Jacobs x Ruth E Carter
This was more than fashion—it was a moment. Teyana Taylor, styled in a collaboration between Marc Jacobs and Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E Carter, delivered a look that blurred the line between red carpet and museum exhibit. Her ensemble wasn’t just worn—it was performed.
The Met Gala has always existed at the intersection of art, ego, and extravagance. But this year, it leaned into something deeper. “Tailored for You” wasn’t a call for custom-made suits—it was a call for authenticity, for identity dressed to kill. And the best-dressed didn’t just look good—they reminded us why fashion matters.
