The first Monday in May returns, and with it The Met Gala. In a matter of hours, notable names are set to ascend the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as it is again transformed into a world stage for fundraising, fashion and online fodder.

Featuring a guest list brimming with big names from Hollywood sets, racetracks, music charts, government offices, global runways, and more, this truly is the night of nights for the who’s who. While entry is reserved for the world’s most wealthy, powerful and famous, the dialogue surrounding the event is anything but exclusive, flooding the feeds of all. The digital realm will be alight as haute couture collides with social commentary, with menial gossip about the dati
ng lives of stars sitting alongside red carpet images that spotlight designers of both prominence and promise.

For those of us favouring the fashion side of the coin, acquainting yourself with the dress code of the year is always best practice. If good creativity is a display of “intelligence having fun”, then consider the theme the scorecard on which attendees are marked; a conceptual through-line, against which every pleat, pocket, and pattern can be measured. In 2025, that through-line is particularly charged. Superfine: Tailoring Black Style invites not only aesthetic interpretation, but historical engagement. This year more than any other, nailing the brief isn’t just about taste. It’s about tact, context, and cultural fluency.

This year’s official dress code, Tailored for you, is centred around Black Dandyism, stretching back from its emergence in the 18th century right through to its endurance and evolution in the current fashion landscape. The key reference text is Monica L. Miller’s 2009 work, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, which maps the historical arc of the movement while unpacking the ideological threads that run through it. Flamboyance, polish, charisma, and flair are often cited in attempts to define its essence, with Black Dandyism most recognised for its sharp tailoring, bold accessorising, and vibrant palettes.

As Slaves to Fashion reveals, the essence of Black Dandyism lies not only in its aesthetic appeal but in its function as an act of defiance. In the face of historical efforts to define, confine, and commodify Black identity, fashion became a tool for self-expression and rebellion against Eurocentric norms. Beyond its sartorial brilliance, Black Dandyism evolved as a form of resistance—an assertion of agency, pride, and cultural consciousness that transformed style into a statement of power.

Now what we can hope for is strong research and cultural consultation. Meaning matters as much as material, so an outfit that doesn’t immediately read as on-theme may find redemption through an informed explanation, with interviews holding the power to separate the considered from the egregious. With that in mind, here are a few key themes and stylistic choices we might expect to see.