The Met Gala, held on the first Monday of May, is the annual style showdown that features star-studded celebrities donning their most extravagant attire. The event takes place at the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where they pose before a multitude of photographers.
The Met Gala serves as a platform to honour and raise funds for the Costume Institute exhibition at the Met. The theme of this year’s gala aligns with the exhibition itself, which explores the concept of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” the exhibition delves into the history of Black dandyism. Black dandyism emerged as a form of resistance and self-expression in a racially segregated America. As Vogue aptly describes it, Black dandyism was a defiant act against a society that sought to define them solely by race rather than character. This year’s Met Gala goes beyond mere homage; it is a direct acknowledgment of the profound impact of Black dandyism on the fashion industry.
The Met Gala this year coincides with the five-year anniversary of the significant anti-racist uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement. This movement prompted numerous cultural institutions in the United States to confront and address their representation of race and diversity, as noted by AFP.
However, the Met theme has been in the works for years, and its relevance has taken on a new significance in light of recent efforts by US President Donald Trump to quash institutional initiatives that promote diversity. Trump’s push aims to maintain a cultural and historical narrative that aligns with his own perspective.
Vogue chief Anna Wintour, the primary host of the Met Gala, acknowledged the evolving nature of the exhibition’s purpose. Despite the political landscape changing, Wintour expressed that the Met Gala has gained a new sense of importance and purpose.
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Good looks, good looks and good looks
Within seconds of celebrities’ pictures flooding social media, the internet rushes to weigh in on the best and worst-dressed people of the night. As the theme celebrated a distinct culture, several stars rose to the occasion and delivered stunning looks. Here were some of our favourites.
Diljit Dosanjh
The Punjabi rapper, hailing from India, has been winning hearts around the world recently and made his Met Gala debut this year in a white and gold ensemble from Indian designer Prabal Gurung. Laden in jewels from his turban down to his fingers, Dosanjh looked nothing short of a maharaja.
Dosanjh brought a South-Asian twist to the concept of dandyism. In his Instagram caption, the ‘Naina’ singer wrote, “Inspired by the theme of Black dandyism, I bring my turban, my culture and my mother tongue to the Met Gala.”
Lewis Hamilton
The British racing driver, one of the chairs for the event, embodied the theme of the year in a sharp cream suit by Grace Wales Bonner. It wasn’t just a suit though, Hamilton wore a cropped jacket, high-waisted trousers with a tuxedo stripe, coattails, and a white bow tie, with an embroidered ivory sash hanging from his waistband. The look was topped off with a matching backwards cap and diamonds glittering in his ears, lapel, cuffs, hands, all the way down to his shoes. Understated, sure, but exuding luxury.
Janelle Monae
America singer Janelle Monae opted for an optical illusion of a dandy suit, a mix of this year and 2019’s theme, “Camp: Notes on Fashion”. Monae was serving major 1930s vibes in a Thom Browne overcoat, with a faux tie that deceives the eye (or a trompe l’oeil tie, in French), and a hat with a monocle attached.
Monae took off her coat to showcase a similar linear suit, half pinstriped black and white and the other half a bright red with white accents. The image of the bag on the coat was identical to the one she had hidden beneath it. Pretty cool!
You could’ve tried a little harder
Stuck squarely between the good and the bad are the ones who gave it a shot but either missed the mark or just couldn’t stick the landing — the mids.
Shah Rukh Khan
Put down your pitchforks. We’re sorry, but King Khan didn’t knock our socks off in his Sabyasachi look. Mr Bollywood wore a deep V-necked black shirt, black cumerbund, black straight-fitted pants and a long coat.
Khan told Sabyasachi that he only wears black and white and felt comfortable in his outfit. The designer himself said that he wanted to “represent Shah Rukh Khan as Shah Rukh Khan, and no one else.”
The actor was bedazzaled with stacked necklaces, which included a massive diamond studded K — presumably for King? — a snowflake broach and cane topped with the head of a tiger, an ode to Sabyasachi’s logo.
Khan looked good, but the only oomph in his outfit came from the accessories and overall, he didn’t really follow the theme. As one of our followers so aptly said, he looked like a “non-PTA Johnny Depp.”
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra wore a polka dot number from Balmain paired with a wide -brimmed hat. The outfit started out as a coat with a full skirt, shortly after Chopra shed the coat and skirt to reveal… a pencil skirt and sleeveless top of the same pattern. Perhaps the look was better compared to her Met looks of the past, but she brought us nothing unique or earth-shattering. She looked like she was ready to hunt for some Dalmatians for her next coat à la Cruella de Vil.
Kiara Advani
Another Bollywood star in attendance, Kiara Advani showed-off her baby bump in a black dress from Indian designer Gaurav Gupta. The look featured a golden breastplate which connected by an “umbilical chord” to a smaller heart shaped metal plate tied across Advani’s baby bump. Symbolic, sure. Cute, yeah. On theme? Absolutely not. The actor looked good, but we wonder if her invite detailing the theme got lost in the mail.
Just stay at home
And last, the worst of the lot. Celebrities whose looks made us think, ‘Man, you should’ve stayed home.’ Not only did they refuse to dress according to the theme, their outfits were the opposite of a slay.
Sydney Sweeney
Actor Sydney Sweeney looked like a glitzy star, ready to hit any red carpet — just not the Met Gala one because there was barely anything dandy-esque about her look. The black Miu Miu gown reportedly paid homage to Vertigo star Kim Novak who Sweeney will portray in the upcoming drama Scandalous.
We didn’t bother finding out who designed this suit, because does it matter? You could find this at Zamzama.
