In about 10 days, Anna Wintour will host a very unusual Met Ball at the Metropolitan Museum on May 5th.
The theme for the night is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.” The exhibition explores the style of Black men through the lens of dandyism, from the 18th century to the present, and its role in shaping Black identity. The dress code for the 2025 Met Gala is “Tailored for You,” which encourages creative interpretation of the theme’s focus on menswear and tailoring.
What will be most unusual is that nearly everyone on the host committee and subcomittee is Black. So are most of the expected guests.
Pharrell Willians, A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, and Lewis Hamiltom, alongside the usual co-chair, Anna Wintour. LeBron James will serve as honorary co-chair. Domingo, a two time Oscar nominee, is featured on the cover of Vogue this month. A$AP Rocky is married to Rihanna, who will absolutely be present.
The host committee — who may or may not show up — includes The committee members are André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens, Grace Wales Bonner, Jordan Casteel, Dapper Dan, Doechii, Ayo Edebiri, Edward Enninful, Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rashid Johnson, Regina King, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Audra McDonald, Janelle Monáe, Jeremy Pope, Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, Olivier Rousteing, Tyla, Usher, and Kara Walker.
I would imagine that Oprah and Gayle — the latter just returned to Earth — might be there, along with Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.
Who won’t be there? This year’s star rapper Kendrick Lamar, who’s on tour. That means SZA will be absent, too, because she’s his opening act. Beyonce is also on tour, so she’s not coming, and that probably eliminates Jay Z. Longtime guest Sean Diddy Combs is in jail. Drake’s attendance is not known. Neither do we know about Nikki Minaj, Cardi B, and Lizzo.
Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, and Taylor Swift the three amigos, are not going to the event. The ex Mrs Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen, is staying home. Billie Eilish is on tour, so scratch her name off the list.
The evening will be so DEI that Trump may threaten to withhold federal funds from the magazine or send Anna to El Salvador.
One reason some celebrities may skip the night at the Met might be how to dress for this event. Dressing like Black dandy is an invitation for trouble. That may result in a lot of star athletes more than actors or an eclectic selection of celebs. Kanye West is off the list for many reasons, but he certainly would have been perfect for this mid year Halloween.
Another reason the Met Ball might lose some participants: the hottest ticket in town on May is a book party downtown for restaurateur Keith McNally. His memoir, “I Regret Almost Everything” is big read around town. The party is at his still sizzling Balthazar on Spring Street.
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