The 2024 Met Gala unfolded under rainy skies with a striking emphasis on menswear-inspired fashion and Black cultural heritage. Emma Chamberlain and Zuri Hall stood out in elegant, pinstripe gowns that reinterpreted traditional tailoring with feminine flair. Their looks aligned with the event’s theme, “Tailored for You,” a tribute to the refined elegance of Black dandyism.
Fashion stylist William Dingle anticipated this blend, noting the likely prevalence of gowns that maintained a feminine silhouette while honoring the tailoring theme. Teyana Taylor captured the spirit in a bold zoot suit, complete with a dramatic red feathered top hat and flower-adorned cape. Her ensemble paid homage to 1940s Harlem, where the zoot suit was a symbol of defiance and style.
Among the evening’s co-chairs, Colman Domingo turned heads in a pearled windowpane jacket beneath a gold-trimmed cape, channeling the influence of legendary fashion editor André Leon Talley. Anna Wintour accompanied him in a baby blue coat layered over a shimmering gown. Fellow co-chair Lewis Hamilton embraced a modern twist on classic tailoring with a cropped ivory tuxedo and matching beret.
Pharrell Williams chose a refined double-breasted beaded jacket that incorporated 15,000 pearls and required 400 hours to create. He appeared alongside his wife Helen Lasichanh, who wore a coordinating black bodysuit and jacket. The night marked a milestone, with a roster of Black male leaders including Domingo, Hamilton, Williams, and A$AP Rocky guiding the gala’s direction. Though honorary chair LeBron James had to cancel due to a knee injury, the event remained a vibrant celebration.
The gala also featured a diverse mix of high-profile guests from across industries—athletes like Simone Biles and Sha’Carri Richardson, filmmakers Regina King and Spike Lee, authors, fashion designers, and tech innovators. This year’s dress code is closely linked to the exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” drawing from Monica Miller’s work on Black dandyism and diasporic fashion.
The event not only dazzled with fashion but also broke financial records. Max Hollein, CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, confirmed it raised over $31 million for the Costume Institute—surpassing last year’s total and setting a new benchmark. For co-chair Pharrell, the evening was about connection and investment: “We’ve got to coalesce the force of Black and brown genius into one strong, reliable force.”
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