“This wasn’t just fashion. This was history walking down the carpet.” That’s how Adrienne Jones, acclaimed fashion designer, professor at the Pratt Institute and curator of the Black Dress Exhibition, described this year’s Met Gala. With a theme that emphasized tailoring, Black elegance and dandyism, the night was ripe for cultural resonance—and many delivered.
However, for Jones, who has dedicated her career to tracing the lineage of Black style and fashion’s deep roots, the real brilliance wasn’t just in the garments. It was in the heritage they honored—stitched into the very spirit of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” and brought to life by a dress code that asked guests to come “Tailored for You,” and tell their stories in the seams.
“We’ve always taken nothing and made it something—and then turned that into something even more fabulous,” she said. “That’s what I saw on the carpet. That’s what made it magical.”
While some may have encountered the term “Black dandyism” for the first time through this year’s Met Gala coverage, Jones reminds us that the essence of it has always existed in our communities. “It’s not just the clothes. It’s how you wear them—and the attitude that comes with it,” she explained. “I come from a family of Black men who always looked stunning. Cufflinks, tie pins, jewelry passed down through generations—this wasn’t fashion for fashion’s sake. It was pride. It was power.”
Jones draws a direct line from church pews to the blue carpet. “Those ladies on Sunday came to praise the Lord—but they also came to show out,” she laughed. “If you talk to any Black stylist today, they’ll tell you their first muses weren’t on the runway—they were in the pews, in the kitchen, on the block.”
Black Dandyism Is More Than a Look—It’s a Legacy
When asked who best interpreted the theme, Jones didn’t hesitate. “Jodie Turner-Smith killed it. Head to toe and everything in between.” Wearing a tailored lambskin coat by Burberry, Turner-Smith embodied both technical mastery and regal ease. “As someone who teaches skinwork—leather, suede—that coat was a marvel,” Jones said. “But it was also her whole attitude. Dandyism is as much about carriage as it is about cut.”
And then came Diana Ross. “She could’ve just fallen from the sky and it would’ve been perfect,” Jones said. “I wasn’t ready. I don’t think anyone was.”
Janelle Monáe also stood out, thanks to a dazzling collaboration between costume designer Paul Tazewell and designer Thom Browne. “She gave us past, present and future all in one. The monocle, the tailored structure, the color story—it was a visual time capsule.”
Black Fashion As Historical Record
The Met carpet was a visual feast of cultural references: From Josephine Baker tributes that we saw on stars like Ciara and or Zendaya’s all-white suit with the hat, which was a nod to Diana Ross’s iconic 1975 look in Mahogany and Even Keke Palmer’s playful, pants-over-skirt look, inspired by old Hollywood styling à la Dorothy Dandridge. “It was a look,”said Jones. “I would’ve done her hair differently—but the silhouette was a smart reference.”
The details mattered. From pocket watches and pearls to jackets adorned with vintage tie pins, every accessory was layered with meaning. “These weren’t just accents,” Jones said. “They were stories. They were legacy.”
Despite the celebration, Jones had one major critique: a lack of color, which Black Dandies embody. “There’s more than three colors in the crayon box,” she said. “Where was the vibrancy? I think of African tailors, of Caribbean elegance—rich color, texture, vibrance. That’s what I wanted more of.”
Some standouts? Zoot suits in bold hues and the beautiful Teyana Taylor, whose look channeled “’80s pimp with a do-rag and cape—she just dragged everybody behind her.”
More Than a Moment: Black Style Is A Blueprint
Jones’s message is clear: Black style can’t just be a theme or trend. It must be recognized as a foundation.”I love the spotlight,” she said. “But I want it every day. Not just when it’s convenient. We’re not a trend—we’re the originators. The trends start with us. And I want the industry to stop treating us like a seasonal moment.”
She pointed to the fact that in 20 years, there have only been two Vogue issues dedicated entirely to Black talent—neither of which were led by American Vogue. “Take the damn door off the hinges,” she said.
“Don’t just spotlight two or three of us—invite all of us in. Let us stay.”
Jones referenced a quote she first saw at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, by playwright George C. Wolfe: “God made Black people, and Black people made style.”
“I took a picture of that quote and said, ‘Uh huh. That’s it.’”