This year’s Met Gala is more than just a display of fashion excellence—it is also a celebration of Black history at a time when there are efforts to erase it.
Every year, fans of celebrities, fashion aficionados, and lovers of beautiful things eagerly anticipate the Met Gala. This annual fundraising event—often described as a fashion festival—is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to support its Costume Institute. It is a celebration of art, fashion, and creativity, all in support of a worthy cause.
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Each iteration of the Met Gala features a theme that enhances the appeal of the annual affair. From 2018’s Heavenly Bodies to 2024’s Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, every theme sparks excitement over how guests interpret it. This year, the 2025 Met Gala theme is Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. More than just a theme, it delivers a powerful message that resonates with the current socio-political climate in the US.
The Story Behind Superfine
This year’s Met Gala theme explores over three hundred years of Black style. Superfine: Tailoring Black Style is rooted in the concept of “dandyism.” Dandyism itself comes from the intersection of African and European style traditions—a cultural response shaped by the 18th-century Transatlantic slave trade.
The displacement of Africans—and their arrival in Europe and eventually America—gave rise to a new culture of consumption, built on the foundations of imperialism and colonialism. They were introduced to clothing and goods that signified wealth, distinction, and taste, according to American and European standards. This exposure to Western cultural norms, particularly around consumption, led to an amalgamation of traditions shaped by lived experience.
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style delves into the pivotal role of fashion in shaping Black identities across the Atlantic diaspora, particularly in the United States and Europe. The exhibition features garments, accessories, paintings, photographs, decorative arts, and more, spanning from the 18th century to the present. It presents dandyism as both an aesthetic expression and a strategic tool that enabled the creation of new social and political possibilities.
The Politics Of The Met
Since the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, concerns over safety and security have become more pronounced for people of color in the US. As a conservative, right-wing leader, Trump’s presidency has been closely associated with ongoing discussions of racism and racial inequality. Furthermore, many of his recent policies and statements have disproportionately targeted minorities, particularly people of color.
During Black History Month, Trump revealed plans to cut funding for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, labeling it “divisive.” This move clearly signals an attempt to rewrite history and erase the lived experiences of Black Americans and their ancestors. His political ideology paves the way for historical revisionism and the denial of racial inequality.
In today’s socio-political climate, the Met Gala’s theme is more relevant than ever. Celebrating the rich history of Black lives in America through fashion and art, it fosters deeper conversations about their heritage, lived experiences, achievements, and present realities.
Fashion is often viewed as a superficial facet of life; however, it has the power to move and influence people. It is a direct reflection of the current zeitgeist—a mirror of reality. Amid the ongoing assault on the rights and history of people of color in America, the outfits worn by guests at the 2025 Met Gala will be more than just an interpretation of a theme—they will serve as a call to action.
Banner photo via Wikimedia.
