The MET Gala, a dazzling night of sumptuous attire, has been capturing the eyes of fashion enthusiasts for decades. The “lights, camera, and pose!” has enchanted the audience into following the occasion like a ritual, where model-like individuals look with the face card, which never declines. From ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ to ‘Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,’ the Gala has always looked forward to giving a tribute to fashion through themes, transforming the term in real-time.
The MET Gala season is here, where the celebrities shall strike a pose on the evening of May 5. Let’s look at the fashion theme of 2025, ‘ Superfine: Tailoring Black Style ,’ and the previous iconic themes that were not mere fashion statements, instead a culture of their own!
‘ Black Dandyism ’ Under the theme ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,’ the 18th-century cultural phenomenon, Black Dandyism, shall be celebrated through the innovatively eccentric ensemble with a touch of corporate look. The exhibition will explore the cultural identity, “Organized into 12 sections, or characteristics, that define this style, the show chronicles the ways in which Black people have used dress and fashion to transform their identities and imagine new ways of embodying political and social possibilities,” according to the MET.
Inspired by the professor and head of Africana Studies at Barnard College, Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book ‘Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,’ the theme will explore the resistance of the stereotypical 18th-century European attire.
The 2018 MET Gala: ‘ Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination ’The iconic theme where the imagination met reality – the jewels weren’t worn; they were studded on the ensemble, making the celebrities sparkle. The wings were attached, the wigs were highlighted, and every celebrity wore a crown, whether they were tangible or not. According to the netizens, no theme has been able to match the avant-garde fashion of 2018. One user said, “My favorite Met Gala theme, everyone was on their best slay. I doubt it will ever be this iconic.” “Right I get almost sad looking at these bc it will never be this good again. How could it?! Everyone was on point,” another user added.
The theme of 2018’s Gala was ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and Catholic Imagination’ that focused on creating ‘a dialogue between fashion and the masterworks of religious art.’ It featured papal garments on loan from the Sistine Chapel and included religious artefacts and objects from the Vatican.
Rihanna, the bad gal, wore a custom crystals and pearls-studded black, white, and grey ensemble with a mitre hat, and the nails that fit the aura. Zendaya wore an armoured attire with chains and diamonds, with a strut that never fails. Ariana Grande wore a ball gown that had a painting of Michelangelo, with her trademark ponytail and bow that looked like icing on a cake. Gigi Hadid wore an asymmetrical off-shoulder gown of the heavenly shade of blue with stunning crystals, representing the stained-glass windows, amongst other celebrities.
The 2019 MET Gala: ‘ Camp: Notes on Fashion ’
The unmatched exaggeration in the outfits, where the futuristic creativity met the world of a dystopian, rich world. From golden candles to orange feathers, everything was part of the attire – yes, even a theatrical entrance with one’s head mannequin as an accessory in the hand.
The theme of 2019’s Gala was ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion,’ which was inspired by Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay, “Notes on ‘Camp’.” Camp did not mean hiking or camping; the essay defines ‘camp’ as ‘love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.’
Zendaya wore a Cinderella’s blue gown that transformed on the red carpet with the fluorescent light, creating never-seen-before magic. Jared Leto wore a red bodysuit adorned with diamonds and his head mannequin as an accessory on his hand. The Kardashians owned the 2019 MET Gala, where Kim wore a bodyfit dress to give the ‘wet look’ with the diamonds that were perceived as the droplets; Kendall wore a sheer dress with orange feathers; and Kylie wore an off-shoulder dress with diamonds, purple feathers, and a matching purple wig.
The 2021 MET Gala: ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’
The fluid outfits, where the theme made a political statement of American identity through the language of fashion. While the MET Gala was comparatively smaller due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the enthusiastic celebrities did not fail to achieve their aim – to serve excellence. While some celebrities wore a complete black outfit that even covered their face, others opted for a re-defining gown, concluding for a Gala that was an unexpected night for fashion. From metallic bodysuits to accompanying with a sword and a mask, 2021 was a regal statement.