Met Gala: Sartorial Subversion

Every first Monday in May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York transforms into fashion’s grandest stage—the Met Gala. Part fundraiser, part high-concept costume party, the event marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual exhibition. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” was this year's theme and drew inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. 

The Black Dandy

In the simplest terms, a dandy refers to a man who places high paramount importance on both his appearance and character. The concept of the “dandy” has its roots in the French Revolution, where street fighters of the Thermidorian Reaction during the French Revolution, their name in French-Muscadin-describing the musk scented perfume they wore. As the century progressed, the dandy became an ever-increasing concept of not just style and aesthetics, but a way of life. Figures such as Beau Brummell and French poet Robert de Montesquiou embodied the intellect and aristocratic state of mind that perpetuated both clothing and personality.

An illustration of Beau Brummel and his associates (1861) (Image from https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AFB1857.0001.001/404)

In parallel, the Black dandy emerged as a counterpoint to these Eurocentric ideals of refinement. The major time period where Black dandyism is associated began during the Harlem Renaissance, although fragments of the movement had begun as early as the 19th century. During this time, black men were facing heavy discrimination and sought fashion as a medium for resistance. Sharp fedoras, zoot suits, and polished leather shoes became the political dress code of the 1920s. These men embraced dandyism as a political statement against the European whites, challenging racial hierarchies and stereotypes of Black men.

Tailor-made Exhibit 

Coleman Domingo in Valentino (2025) (Image from https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/05/06/celebrating)

The looks of the night also reflected this concept of subverting European silhouettes and styles to redefine boundaries of fashion. Colman Domingo is one such example. Chosen as one of the co-chairs of the event alongside A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton, and LeBron James, he donned a pleated blue cape from Italian luxury house Valentino that ran floor length along the carpet, a striking parallel to similar pieces worn by European royalty. The chromatic blue of the piece also served to reflect Domingo’s own cultural ties and traditions, with him wanting to bring both his family and the ancestor that walked before him onto the carpet. The notion of reimagined European fashion continued in his second look of the night, where he shed his cape to reveal a textured windowpane suit that was coupled with a cravat and lapel flower,  a traditional hallmark of European style that has its origins in Parisian aristocracy.

Bad Bunny in custom Prada (2025) (Image from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/style/bad-bunny-tribute-puerto-rico-met-gala-2025-carpet-1236208331/)

Bad Bunny was another example of the cultural fusion and subversion that the Black Dandy personifies, with his Prada look masterfully blending European tailoring and silhouettes with Puerto Rican elements. The centerpiece was the traditional pava hat that sat upon Bad Bunny’s head. Traditionally worn by Jíbaros (Puerto Rican agricultural workers), it was transformed by Prada, which served to elevate the working class into a statement of high fashion. By juxtaposing rustic elements with luxury craftsmanship, Bad Bunny embodied the Met's theme of tailored reinvention while making a powerful statement about postcolonial identity.