The theme of the Met Gala this year was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. The theme draws direct inspiration from Black Dandyism, a fashion movement that highlights Black creators and styles. Given this fashion movement’s roots in tailoring, many suits and suit variations graced the Met Gala runway last night.
Many guests wore finely tailored suits, a fitting decision given the theme. The sheer volume of suits, however, got a bit old. I was thrilled when a guest’s suit had an interesting element like textured fabric or lavish embellishing. Two of the biggest themes present on the red carpet this year were monochrome looks (Regé-Jean Page and Lupita Nyong’o) and deconstructed suits (Miranda Kerr and Zuri Hall). If you want to take a look at all the Met Gala had to offer, check out this Vogue article.
As a whole, I found this year’s Met Gala a bit underwhelming. There were many looks that were good, maybe even very good, but there were few looks that were truly great. My jaw dropped far fewer times while scrolling through photos this year than many previous years. Much of the red carpet this year was, in a word, forgettable. That being said, a few looks did stick out to me.
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill graced the carpet in a pastel yellow suit with a long flowing train, structural collar, and matching umbrella. In contrast with many of the fully monochrome looks, Hill added a pop of color with her burgundy tie and blue bag. She looked both classic and fresh, a true embodiment of the theme.
Raúl Domingo
Raúl Domingo took to the carpet in a monochrome bedazzled suit. He sparkled and stunned from head-to-toe, and his standard suit cut was elevated by a matching scarf. This was an outfit with personality, and I loved it.
Monica Barbaro
This was possibly my favorite look of the whole night. The traditional jacket and tie combo paired with the fun tulle skirt result in a well balanced and truly stunning outfit. Everything looks perfectly tailored to Barbaro all the way down to her black stilettos. Very Mary Poppins.
Christian Latchman
Christian Latchman’s traditional, oversized suit added some flair with a billowing train of fabric. This created a truly beautiful silhouette. The oversized flower on Latchman’s lapel pulled the whole look together.
Laura Harrier
Laura Harrier’s outfit took the basic idea of a suit and turned it up a few notches. The arms and legs were made of big, billowing fabric, creating a nice contrast with the fitted vest. She looked ethereal in the off-white ensemble. I was impressed to see such a new take on such a classic fashion staple.
Andre 3000
Andre 3000’s actual outfit wasn’t much to write home about, but his accessories were a different story altogether. He appeared on the runway with a baby grand piano strapped on like a backpack. The musical artist wore the contraption in order to promote his new album, 7 piano sketches.
