Met Gala 2025: Black Dandyism Meets South Asian Glamour
Shah Rukh Khan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Kiara Advani made their long-awaited debuts, while jewelry and accessories took center stage.
Bindis. Jewels. Hats. Canes. Capes. Structured suits. No pants. This year’s Met Gala theme was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” a celebration of Black Dandyism and styling in the Black diaspora. The fundraiser, which raised a record $31 million this year, paid homage to Black fashion history, such as zoot suits, which feature high-waisted pants, padded shoulders, and long jackets. In other words, fashion as defiance in a time when Black Americans were heavily policed for even existing. The evening also was an ode to André Leon Talley, Vogue’s first Black male creative director. Talley was a fashion icon known for his capes, robes, and kaftans, which many — including co-host Colman Domingo — wore with pride.
As stars descended on the “blue” carpet featuring daffodils — designed by Black artist Cy Gavin but made in India, by Alappuzha-based Extraweaves — billions of people held their breath. Shah Rukh Khan, whom Sabyasachi dressed, made history when he became the first Indian male actor to grace the Met Gala carpet.
As designers showed off their looks, two things stood out. First, how little the interviewers knew about its Indian stars. Second, the sheer number of jewels — including a bindi, deconstructed maang tikka, and humongous emerald. Without further ado, here’s our recap of the first Monday of May.