Meet the fashion visionaries behind this year’s most talked-about Met Gala looks.
The 2025 Met Gala celebrated “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” a Costume Institute exhibition exploring the importance of clothing to Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora, arranged around the characteristics of Black dandyism. The dress code, aptly dubbed “Tailored For You,” invited guests to lean into menswear-inspired looks – from razor-sharp suits to theatrical takes on the tuxedo. On a night where impeccable tailoring was the mandate and the red carpet was bursting at the seams with celebrities, a handful of top stylists proved indispensable, translating the theme into headline-grabbing fashion moments for their A-list clients.
Law Roach
Widely hailed by Vogue as “perhaps the most famous celebrity stylist alive”, Law Roach lived up to that title by orchestrating multiple jaw-dropping moments on the carpet – and even stealing some spotlight for himself. (If you spotted a striking figure in a blond coif working the event like a proud parent, that was Law, exuding superstar energy equal to his clients.) His crowning achievement was, as always, the return of Zendaya to the Met Gala. This time, the duo went for grown-up drama. Zendaya arrived in a custom Louis Vuitton ivory suit fitted to perfection, topped off with a sweeping ivory hat so glamorous it could have been plucked from a 1970s Guy Bourdin shoot. Not one to do things by halves, Roach also styled a small army of other attendees. He transformed rising R&B singer Tyla into a veritable style star, commissioning a white Jacquemus pinstriped gown-and-cape inspired by André Leon Talley, paired with vintage Hollywood glamour through Pandora diamonds and a Dorothy Dandridge-inspired pixie cut. Jon Batiste embraced Black music history in a Tom Ford polka-dot tailcoat, accessorized playfully with a saxophone, while Nicki Minaj stunned in a Thom Browne pinstriped suit-dress celebrating the female dandy—complete with sculptural floral detailing. And in a delightful twist, the stylist got André 3000 – himself a legendary style icon – to grace the Met Gala steps in what else but a piano strapped to his back. Each of Law Roach’s clients showcased a different facet of the theme, but all bore his unmistakable stamp of theatrical elegance.
Jahleel Weaver
No one knows how to shut down a red carpet quite like Jahleel Weaver and his most famous client, Rihanna. The pop superstar closed out the Met Gala arrivals in an ensemble so on-theme and so jaw-dropping. Rihanna, expecting her third child, stepped out in head-to-toe Marc Jacobs that reimagined the classic tuxedo on her own terms. She wore a cropped black wool jacket and pinstriped bustle skirt tailored around her baby bump, paired with a satin polka-dot cravat (who needs a traditional tie when you’re RiRi?) and an oversized Stephen Jones hat that would make a church lady swoon. It was menswear meets maternity meets pure high fashion – and it worked flawlessly. (Of course, Weaver made sure the look was loaded with symbolism – the exaggerated hat and sharp tailoring paid homage to Black church fashion and jazz-era dandies in one fell swoop.) As the final entrance of the night, Rihanna’s moment was both a fashion statement and a personal announcement, and Weaver masterfully balanced both aspects. But one mega-look wasn’t enough for Jahleel. He also lent his styling prowess to Kim Kardashian this year, taking on another global icon. For Kim, Weaver shifted gears from avant-garde to bombshell tailoring. While Rihanna went for theatrical drama, Kardashian’s look (a sleek monochrome number) showed Weaver’s ability to make the theme work for different personal styles. It’s no small feat to dress two of the world’s most-watched women in one night, but Weaver handled it with aplomb.
Gabriella Karefa-Johnson
Stylist and fashion consultant Gabriella Karefa-Johnson approached the gala’s theme like a curator, crafting looks that were as meaningful as they were beautiful. For Kendall Jenner, she pulled a brilliant surprise, dressing the model in custom Torishéju by British-Nigerian designer Torishéju Dumi. The choice was a double statement, elevating an emerging Black talent on fashion’s biggest stage, and putting Kendall in a slinky yet sharply tailored silhouette. (The look – a sculpted ebony column with cutouts and menswear detailing – was sleek, modern, and spoke to the evening’s celebration of Black style innovation.) Karefa-Johnson also oversaw a showstopper for Ashley Graham, outfitting the curves of the supermodel in a custom Boss creation that merged Savile Row polish with red-carpet flair. And then there was Gigi Hadid, who turned heads in a custom gold Miu Miu gown that shimmered with crystal embellishments and featured a cinched drop-waist silhouette. The look paid homage to Josephine Baker, echoing a 1951 Balmain gown worn by the legendary performer, and was designed in the spirit of Zelda Wynn Valdes, the pioneering Black designer who dressed Baker herself. Throughout the gala, each of Gabirella’s looks reflected a different approach to Tailored For You –sparking conversations about inclusivity, new voices, and what glamour can mean in 2025.
Carlos Nazario
When it comes to nailing a theme, Carlos Nazario is a visionary with range. This year he orchestrated a suite of showstopping looks that hit every nuanced note of the “Tailored” brief. For singer FKA Twigs, Nazario teamed up with designer Grace Wales Bonner on a custom ensemble – a union of avant-garde edge and dandy elegance that announced Twigs’s individualist take on Black tie. Model Paloma Elsesser, another Nazario muse, stunned in Ferragamo under his direction, a sleek tribute to modern tailoring helmed by Black designer Maximilian Davis. And then there was supermodel Anok Yai, who delivered what many considered the most clever interpretation of the night’s dress code: a Thom Browne creation that married sculptural Old Hollywood glamour with trompe-l’œil suiting details. Nazario even helped newcomer Alex Consani make a glittering Met debut, collaborating with Swarovski on a crystal-encrusted suit-dress dripping with 32,900 hand-set crystals. From models to artists like Lauren Halsey and tastemakers like Desiree Manuel, Nazario’s clients each embodied a different facet of Black dandyism.
Jason Bolden
Jason Bolden showcased precision and subtle extravagance, crafting looks that combined historical homage with modern confidence. Cynthia Erivo dazzled in a custom Givenchy ensemble by Sarah Burton, featuring a jewel-encrusted corset and Victorian-inspired tailoring, blending classic elegance with couture drama rooted in Black dandyism and Rococo flair. Nicole Kidman’s understated yet sophisticated Balenciaga Haute Couture gown, a sleek nod to the house’s 1950s heritage, was paired perfectly with new short hair and minimalist jewels, emphasizing refined craftsmanship. Keith Powers modernized traditional tailoring with a cropped jacket and high-waisted trousers, subtly echoing mid-century zoot suit proportions. Yara Shahidi’s layered ensemble—a sleek tailored suit beneath an elegant robe coat—brought inventive glamour, accessorized with David Webb jewels and Christian Louboutin heels. Dwyane Wade confidently embodied Bolden’s tailored vision in a pristine white Prada tailcoat, accented by a crystal-embellished waistcoat that balanced classic formality with contemporary swagger, rounding out a meticulously curated group that underscored Bolden’s expert and bold individuality.
From Nazario’s culturally nuanced ensembles to Roach’s high-drama statements, each stylist showcased an ability to take a lofty theme and make it pop with personality. In a gala dedicated to the artistry of fashion, these stylists were the unsung auteurs, the puppet masters of posh, working their magic one fitting at a time. And judging by the night’s breathtaking results, the industry’s top editors and watchers are all in agreement – bravo to the stylists, the ultimate architects of awe, who tailored an unforgettable night.
