By Leanne Italie, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Pharrell Williams has big plans for the Met Gala this year. It’s the first to be entirely devoted to Black designers and the first in more than two decades to focus on menswear.
“I hope it’s the most epic night of power,” Pharrell told Vogue. “A testament to Black resilience in a world still defined by colonization—through laws, through systems. It’s our turn.”
And along comes the first Monday in May.
How to Stream the 2025 Met Gala
The livestream of the Met Gala is 6 p.m. ET on May 5, with complete coverage on Vogue’s website (Vogue.com), YouTube, and all other digital platforms. Co-hosts La La Anthony, Teyana Taylor, and Ego Nwodim will present the arrivals. Emma Chamberlain will host red carpet interviews.
The Associated Press will livestream celebrity departures from the Mark Hotel at 5 p.m. ET and stream a delayed red carpet broadcast at 6:30 p.m. ET on APNews.com and YouTube.
E! will also broadcast the event live at 6 p.m. ET on Peacock, E! Online, YouTube, and social platforms.
Who’s Hosting the 2025 Met Gala?
This year’s gala is chaired by a dynamic group of Black men across culture and entertainment:
- Pharrell Williams, singer and Louis Vuitton menswear creative director
- Lewis Hamilton, Formula One champion
- Colman Domingo, actor
- A$AP Rocky, rapper and style icon
- LeBron James, NBA legend (honorary chair)
They’re joined by longtime co-chair Anna Wintour, Vogue editor-in-chief.
Additional co-hosts include:
- Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens
- Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson
- Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee, Regina King
- Ayo Edebiri, Audra McDonald, Jeremy Pope
- Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Janelle Monáe, André 3000
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- Jordan Casteel, Rashid Johnson, Kara Walker
- Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
- Grace Wales Bonner, Edward Enninful, Dapper Dan, Olivier Rousteing
The ball raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, underwriting nearly its entire exhibition budget.
What’s the Dress Code?
This year’s unofficial but influential dress code is “suited and tailored,” interpreted through the lens of Black dandyism—a cultural form of self-expression rooted in resistance, heritage, and distinction.
Inspired by the Costume Institute’s exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, the code takes cues from Monica L. Miller’s book, “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.”
“Whether a dandy is subdued or flamboyant,” Miller writes, “we admire the considered dressing, self-conscious showing off, and gesture toward tailored perfection—even if that’s ironic or subversive.”
The style ethos includes 12 themes inspired by Zora Neale Hurston’s 1934 essay “Characteristics of Negro Expression”—notably freedom, heritage, presence, and distinction.
Though Anna Wintour is rumored to have veto power over guest wardrobes, she claimed in a recent interview that she merely offers guidance when asked.
Who’s on the Guest List?
Roughly 450 attendees from fashion, entertainment, sports, tech, and the arts. Pharrell emphasized inviting accomplished Black and brown creatives beyond celebrity status.
“It’s time to get Black and brown greatness in the room: not just athletes and entertainers but writers, architects, fintech disruptors,” he said. “We need to invest in each other and create something greater together.”
Why It Matters
The 2025 Met Gala is more than fashion—it’s a cultural statement honoring Black creativity, tailoring, and leadership. With a menswear and identity-driven theme, it’s sure to blend elegance with message in a powerful way.
This year’s gala will be one for the history books—whether you’re in it for the craft, the symbolism, or the spectacle.
