Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion, this year’s exhibition explores the tradition of Black dandyism—a style movement in which Black individuals have historically used fashion, particularly sharp tailoring and flamboyant dress, as a form of cultural defiance, identity-making, and reclamation of dignity in the face of racial stereotyping.
The dress code, Tailored for You, encouraged guests to express individuality while reflecting on this lineage of style as resistance.
Colman Domingo paid homage to André Leon Talley in custom Valentino, while Zendaya, one of the night’s co-chairs, arrived in a Louis Vuitton zoot suit designed by Pharrell Williams.
Rihanna revealed her third pregnancy in a Marc Jacobs suit dress, and Diana Ross made a triumphant return to the Gala after 20 years, wearing an Ugo Mozie gown with an 18-foot train.
Other standout looks included Doja Cat in a Marc Jacobs ocelot-print bodysuit, Teyana Taylor in a Ruth E. Carter-inspired ensemble, and Jodie Turner-Smith in a Burberry outfit nodding to equestrian tailoring.
Pharrell Williams also embraced the theme, wearing a pearl-embroidered blazer of his own design.
More than just a night of high fashion, the Gala highlighted the enduring power of Black dandyism—where style becomes a tool of storytelling, subversion, and pride.
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