The annual Met Gala took place this past Monday and all the buzz is around the celebrities in attendance and the outfits they wore.
The Met Gala is one of the fashion world’s most important events, with every year having a new theme to encourage guests to show up and show out. This year’s theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” aimed to display the impact of Black dandyism on the western world — but how well was it executed?
“I was so glad Colman Domingo was the chair because his style is insane,” VCU sophomore photography major, Anisa Barfield, said. “I’m always excited whenever he walks the red carpet. I’m glad he acknowledged how much fashion is influenced by Black culture whether people want to admit it or not.”
Black dandyism, the inspiration for this year’s theme, is a cultural stepping stone in the fashion world. Well tailored men’s suits, creativity and attitude.
Domingo, who had a host of outfits for the night, stepped onto the carpet in a royal blue cape with a necklace of jewels on top of his gold sequined breastplate. The actor revealed his Valentino-inspired suit underneath, displaying a black and white checkerboard suite, polka dot scarf for a tie and a matching flower next to it. In the eyes of many, he definitely stayed true to the theme.
Other guests followed suit with their outfits, with big names like Rihanna in a three-piece pinstripe outfit, matched with a large brimmed hat and polka-dotted neck collar.
Janelle Monáe sported an oversized deconstructed overcoat inspired by a 30s tuxedo. The cartoonish art piece, designed by Paul Tazewell and Thom Brown covered her tailored half-and-half outfit, a sports coat and floor-length skirt with alternating red and pinstripe detail.
“I would say that the theme of this year’s Met Gala was well executed,” senior marketing major and president of UMD’s fashion club MasTERPiece, Midiene Joseph said. “The overall majority of the people fit the standard while some…I really wasn’t sure what they were doing.”
The outfits of celebrities that Joseph rejected included Heidi Klum, whose black Vetemets gown seemed too basic for the fashion club’s president. After watching more of the Met Gala, Joseph also commented that Charli XCX did not follow the theme.
Additionally, Barfield thought that Sydney Sweeney’s outfit missed the mark, not only because of the style but because of the Euphoria star’s inspiration.
“She literally posted on her story that her inspiration was a white woman,” Barfield said. “Some people were trying to defend her saying she’s that woman in a movie directed by Colman Domingo but that’s still not on theme.”
Other than viewing the star-studded event every year, the Met Gala’s theme is more than promoting fashion for the world to see.
“I think that the theme for this year’s Met Gala is really the best opportunity to appreciate Black culture,” said Joseph.