Another first Monday in May, another round of fashion’s biggest night in the books. This time around, the 2025 Met Gala was a particularly big deal around GQ HQ, given that the theme of this year’s Costume Institute exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” promised the most menswear-centric Met (at least since 2003, which riffed on the historical constraints of male fashion with the aptly titled theme of “Men in Skirts”).
But on Monday night, many of the well-dressed famous fellas across the industries of music, sports, art, and entertainment attended the so-called “Men’s Gala” with a bright, dandyish sense of sartorial freedom, paying homage to the history of identity-affirming Black fashion and tailoring traditions.
From pattern-happy bespoke creations to moody tonal masterpieces, here are a dozen of the finest looks to grace the 2025 Met Gala red carpet.
12. Justin Jefferson
For much of the 2010s, Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne ranked among the coolest young designers in New York—racking up prestigious fashion awards, dropping red-hot Jordan collabs, and generally becoming scene-leading men about town. But by the early 2020s, the brand had all but faded from view, with its founders engaged in solo projects and corporate gigs. Which is what made it all the more heartwarming to see the duo reunited on the Met Gala steps last night, reviving Public School to dress Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson in a flouncy, pleated, Prince-of-Wales-check zoot suit. Following their surprise appearance, the label’s Instagram account appears to be teasing…something—and if Jefferson’s stellar look is any indication, it’s worth getting excited about.
11. Burna Boy
Few menswear designers better embody contemporary Black dandyism than Ozwald Boateng, the British-Ghanaian tailor who has reinvigorated Savile Row with his penchant for brash tones, exuberant prints, and strong lines. And few stars are better equipped to wear Boateng’s creations than Burna Boy, the irrepressible Afrobeat megastar. At the Met Gala, the Nigerian musician arrived decked out in a searing crimson tux offset by a shimmering leather cape and a clashing canary silk shirt. It’s a look that demanded attention in the best way possible.