By AJ Mun
Correspondent
With the recent announcement of the 2025 Met Gala theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” I felt it was important that we discuss the consistent predicament of guests missing the theme completely.
One would expect that guests of a dinner party thrown by one of the biggest fashion publications in the world would follow the provided theme. Unfortunately, for many guests that is simply not the case.
To elaborate, let me provide you with a few examples from past Met Galas. A broad example of this is men.
Male celebrities have a habit of wearing a simple black tux to formal events, regardless of whether there is a theme or not. One place a simple black tux has no business being seen is the Met Gala — one of the biggest fashion events of the year. With millions of dollars at their disposal, there is simply no excuse for playing it safe and boring.
A great example of a man following the Met Gala theme is internet fashion sensation Wisdom Kaye. For 2024’s “The Garden of Time” theme, Kaye appeared in a rose-red outfit that displayed scorch marks all over, telling the story of a wilting flower and decay. I propose that attending men use just a little bit of “Wisdom” and start figuring out how to bring something interesting to the table.
We can all agree that women are under a significantly harsher lens than their male counterparts, but that does not mean I’ll let them get away with wearing whatever they please. While a very pretty outfit, Kaia Gerber's 2024 Met Gala look was disappointing at best.
As a model who gets paid to wear fashion, I expected immensely more from her than a simple white Prada dress with a few sequined scallops. Let me reiterate that playing it safe at the Met Gala is not impressing anyone. We must do better.
Now, a woman who never misses and should be an example to all those attending is none other than Zendaya. Law Roach, Zendaya's stylist since 2011, has never let us down with her Met Gala looks, and 2024 was no exception.
Her twin looks were meant to represent the present and the past — with her first blue dress representing the present as a nod to the theme, and her second look, by John Galliano from the mid-90s, acting as the past-half of the theme. No notes.
To circle back to the present day, Vogue describes the theme further with: “The exhibition is organized into 12 sections, each representing a characteristic … Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook (...a space for dancing, drinking, and other leisure activities), Heritage, Beauty, Cool, and Cosmopolitanism.”
Knowing this, an attendee that I have the highest expectations for is Doechii. Doechii’s red carpet looks, specifically at the Grammys, are nothing short of creative and eye-catching. After watching how much love and care she put into that look, I have no doubt that she will give the fans exactly what they need.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, the Met Gala is one of the biggest fashion events of the year. An event like this should be treated with respect. Fashion is an art form, and especially when visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you should do your research to honor the theme and create statements. I can definitely say that a few Google searches would do us all some good.
