Introduction to the 2025 Met Gala

In a time when diversity is under fire, leave it to the mind of Anna Wintour to push the boundaries at this year’s 2025 exhibition for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The spring 2025 exhibition kicks off on the first Monday in May, with an event known as the Met Gala, where parades of celebrities ascend the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to celebrate the theme. And this year, Ms. Wintour — alongside co-chairs Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams— is putting Black history and fashion at the forefront. This year’s theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired by the work of Monica L. Miller, author of the book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College.

What Is Black Dandyism?

In her book, Ms. Miller describes Black dandyism as “a strategy and a tool to rethink identity, to reimagine the self in a different context. To really push a boundary — especially during the time of enslavement, to really push a boundary on who and what counts as human, even.” The concept of the Black Dandy emerged during the 18th century, when it was imposed on Black men in Europe. As a result of the Atlantic slave trade, a trend of fashionably dressed or dandified servants, who were now free, was becoming evident. Enslaved Black people came to understand the power of clothing and style and signaling hierarchies of race, class and gender.

The Evolution of Black Dandyism

The term “Black Dandy” was used to describe men who were extremely devoted to aesthetics and approached it as a lifestyle, attitude and self-assurance. When used by Black people, the term was a way to think positively about their people and ambitions. But when used by whites, the term held a negative connotation against Black people regarding the very same aspirations. Over time, Dandyism gave Black men and women the opportunity to use clothing as a means of transforming their identities and envisioning new ways to embody political and social possibilities—shifting from enslavement to self-stylized individuality. This evolution came to signify wealth and status, empowering fashion-forward individuals to become global trendsetters through the stories their styles told.

The Exhibition: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style

The exhibit, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, is organized into 12 sections, each representing a characteristic that defines dandy style: Ownership, Presence, Distinction, Disguise, Freedom, Champion, Respectability, Jook (as defined in Zora Neale Hurston’s “Characteristics of Negro Expression”), Heritage, Beauty, Cool and Cosmopolitanism. “Superfine” will feature garments, paintings, photographs and more from artists including Tanda Francis, Torkwase Dyson, Tyler Mitchell and André Grenard Matswa—all exploring the indelible style of Black dandies, from the 18th century through to the present day—and will be on exhibit from May 10 to October 26, 2025. Throughout the exhibit halls, one-of-a kind artifacts will be displayed, including photos and works by W.E.B. Du Bois; originals by Zora Neale Hurston and Nikki Giovanni; archival issues of Jet and Ebony magazines; and historic fashions worn by Frederick Douglass and others from the Harlem Renaissance.

What Is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala is an annual, invitation-only charity event and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, and it serves as a celebration of the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition. The event is renowned for its haute couture, elaborate themes, extravagant red carpet appearances and the presence of high-profile celebrities and fashion industry leaders. The cost to attend what is widely regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event? In 2024, it was $75,000, up from $50,000 in 2023.

The Importance of the Met Gala

Established in 1948 by publicist Eleanor Lambert, the Met Gala is a fundraiser for the newly founded Costume Institute and also served as a way to mark the opening of their annual exhibit. The cost back then was $50. In 1995, American Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour—who now also serves as the Global Chief Content Officer and Artistic Director at Condé Nast, overseeing all their publications—became the Met Gala’s chairperson. She took the event to another level and grew the guest list to include celebrities from across the worlds of fashion, entertainment, big business and professional sports: all while making the event one of the largest, if not the largest, fundraising event in NYC. The 2024 Met Gala raised $26,000,000, a record for the event.

The Theme: Tailored For You

This year’s Gala dress code is “Tailored For You.” The host committee this year is made up of André 3000, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jordan Casteel, Dapper Dan, Doechii, Ayo Edebiri, Edward Enninful, Jeremy O. Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Rashid Johnson, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Audra McDonald, Janelle Monáe, Jeremy Pope, Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, Tyla, Usher and Kara Walker. The exhibition is made possible by Louis Vuitton, with support provided by Instagram, George Lucas and Melody Hobson’s Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation, Africa Fashion International (founded by Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe), Tyler Perry’s The Perry Foundation and, of course, Condé Nast.

The Importance Of This Theme In These Times

While each year there is a different Gala theme covering a specific angle of couture, Black Dandyism seems to come at a time where representation and diversity are being scrutinized in education, across corporations and even at publicly funded museums like the Met. This theme underscores the power of representation and the opportunities found in elevating diverse perspectives and storytelling. Economically, diversity is a proven driver of innovation and profitability. As America’s demographics continue to evolve, it’s estimated that Black Americans’ spending power sits between $1.4 trillion and $1.8 trillion annually, a powerful economic bloc that’s comparable to the gross domestic products of Mexico, Canada and Italy.

Conclusion

This year’s Gala and exhibit are as much about visibility as they are about the vitality of Black culture, past, present and future. And for that, bravo, Ms. Wintour. The exhibition and the Met Gala will not only celebrate the history and significance of Black Dandyism but also provide a platform for contemporary Black designers and artists to showcase their work.

FAQs

Q: What is the theme of the 2025 Met Gala?
A: The theme of the 2025 Met Gala is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired by the work of Monica L. Miller and her book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.
Q: What is Black Dandyism?
A: Black Dandyism is a cultural and historical phenomenon that refers to the practice of Black people using fashion and style as a means of self-expression, empowerment, and social commentary.
Q: Who are the co-chairs of the 2025 Met Gala?
A: The co-chairs of the 2025 Met Gala are Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams.
Q: How much does it cost to attend the Met Gala?
A: The cost to attend the Met Gala is $75,000, up from $50,000 in 2023.
Q: What is the purpose of the Met Gala?
A: The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and serves as a celebration of the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition.

April is National Volunteer Month. It’s a time dedicated to honoring the power of service and the profound impact that giving back has on communities, women and individuals alike. Whether it’s mentoring someone to take the next step in their career or helping an organization expand its reach, every act of service fuels a ripple effect of positive change. Especially today, when challenges are complex and resources are stretched thin, volunteering reminds us that real leadership starts with showing up, sharing our skills and lifting others as we climb.

The Impact of Working for Women

When Beth Bengtson launched Working for Women, she wasn’t just starting another nonprofit but reimagining an organization’s role in uplifting marginalized communities. W4W connects women already in the workforce—many of whom struggle to cover basic expenses—with better job opportunities, mentorship and skills training. However, what sets W4W apart is a leadership philosophy that sees social good and business success not as competing goals but as two sides of the same coin.

Bengtson explains, “Before W4W, I lived in the for-profit world and always believed business could be a force for social good. I saw firsthand how important community engagement was to employees and how much businesses could accomplish when they brought their values into their operations.” This belief became the foundation for W4W’s pioneering “skillunteering” model, in which corporate employees—from companies like Paramount—volunteer their expertise to help grassroots nonprofits and the women they serve.

Business As A Force For Good

Bengtson’s career included a role as VP of positive impact—a title that perfectly encapsulates her lifelong commitment to weaving purpose into profit. She saw that while traditional volunteering (like packing bags at a soup kitchen) made people feel good, it rarely tapped into the deeper business needs nonprofits faced. “We don’t often think of nonprofits as businesses, but they have the same strategic challenges,” she shares. “They need marketing plans, revenue models, strategic roadmaps—all the things companies have.”

By encouraging businesses to treat their volunteer work as a strategic partnership, W4W makes corporate social responsibility a powerful leadership move, not just a philanthropic checkbox. It’s a vision that amplifies business impact far beyond a single event.

Leadership Development Through Experiential Learning

Bengtson says one of the most powerful outcomes of skillunteering is how it naturally cultivates leadership skills among corporate volunteers. “Skillunteering creates deeper connections between employees and the companies they work for,” the founder explains. “It enhances their skills, gives them real leadership and reach opportunities, and often puts them on the promotion track.” Employees engage in projects that stretch their capabilities, whether leading workshops on negotiation skills, developing new marketing strategies or crafting business plans for nonprofit partners.

Strategic Volunteering That Builds Organizational Capacity

Another leadership lesson W4W emphasizes is a strategic focus. Every project starts by asking nonprofits what they truly need to execute their strategic goals, which can be anything from marketing support to program development to operational improvements. “We sit down with executive directors and ask, ‘What’s on your roadmap? What could you do if you had the right team behind you?’” she states. “Our [corporate] volunteers then become an extension of their team bringing professional skills nonprofits otherwise couldn’t afford.”

A Skillunteer’s Perspective—Building Skills And Community

For Kimaya Padgaonkar, Strategy Insights and Planning Manager at ZS, volunteering with W4W has been transformational professionally and personally. “I was visiting another ZS office where they were having a W4W workshop,” Padgaonkar explains. “It was so moving that I went back to Philly and asked them to bring it there.” Even after relocating to London after her experience, Padgaonkar stayed connected to W4W, explaining, “I love that my professional skills can be used to give back in a more impactful, sustainable way.”

Through seven years of skillunteering, she has strengthened key leadership skills, from presenting to executive directors to navigating unstructured business problems. “At that point in my career, I didn’t have opportunities to present to senior leaders. Skillunteering gave me the space to grow,” she says. The experience also expanded her network and deepened her sense of purpose at work.

Conclusion

Through W4W, Bengtson shows that leadership today isn’t just about profit margins or titles. It’s about making tangible investments in people, purpose and community. Combining skill, strategy and heart, her company’s model creates a ripple effect: building stronger nonprofits, leaders and businesses simultaneously. As Beth puts it, “Go out and do social good—and actually improve your bottom line. It’s a hidden secret, but it’s the future of leadership.”

FAQs

1. What is National Volunteer Month?
   National Volunteer Month is a time dedicated to honoring the power of service and the profound impact that giving back has on communities, women and individuals alike.
2. What is Working for Women (W4W)?
   Working for Women is a nonprofit organization that connects women already in the workforce with better job opportunities, mentorship and skills training.
3. What is skillunteering?
   Skillunteering is a model in which corporate employees volunteer their expertise to help grassroots nonprofits and the women they serve.
4. How does W4W make corporate social responsibility a powerful leadership move?
   By encouraging businesses to treat their volunteer work as a strategic partnership, W4W makes corporate social responsibility a powerful leadership move, not just a philanthropic checkbox.
5. What are the benefits of skillunteering for corporate volunteers?
   Skillunteering enhances employees’ skills, gives them real leadership and reach opportunities, and often puts them on the promotion track.

Introduction to a Movement

On the eve of his London Fashion Week runway show, American fashion designer Conner Ives grabbed a deadstock white T-shirt, stamped the words Protect the Dolls onto it with transfer paper, and pulled it over his head. No brand strategists. No marketing campaign. Just raw instinct — the kind leaders need to adopt more but rarely do.

The Dolls? Transgender women — a community facing escalating attacks on their rights, visibility, and safety. In queer communities, “doll” is a term of affection, pride, and belonging — a coded word that speaks volumes without explanation.

The next night, as Ives took his bow at the end of the fashion week catwalk, the Dolls T-Shirt didn’t just land — it detonated. It tore through social media, dominated fashion rankings, and hijacked global headlines. Conner Ives hadn’t just designed a T-shirt, he had triggered a marketing movement. And within 24 hours, over 2,500 orders flooded in — each one supporting Trans Lifeline, a community-driven organization providing crisis support to trans people in need.

From Slactivism To Cultural Power

For years, slogan tees were dismissed as slactivism — easy gestures without real substance. So how did Protect the Dolls hit differently? It wasn’t just a statement, it was a shield. A visible call to arms at a time when trans woman visibility is being ripped apart — in courts, in legislation, and in public discourse. The Dolls T-Shirts weren’t selling fashion, they were selling solidarity.

When I wore a "Orban Love Wins" message across the back of my Gucci jacket on the red carpet at the MTV EMAs in Budapest, Hungary, in 2021, it didn’t just generate support from the local LGBTQI+ community — it made global headlines. At the time, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had recently pushed through legislation in 2021 that banned the depiction of LGBTQI+ content to minors, part of a broader crackdown on LGBTQI+ rights. In a country where state-sponsored discrimination was becoming law, the message wasn’t just a fashion choice — it was my act of protest, a show of solidarity, and a public stand against political repression.

Why Language Matters More Than Ever

It wasn’t just what Conner Ives said. It was how he said it. Protect. The. Dolls.
Short. Direct. Familiar, yet radical. In queer communities, "doll" is a term of endearment — a private language of affection and solidarity. But in the wider community, the word can sound flippant or even objectifying. From this standpoint, the slogan is polarizing but Ives didn’t care as he chose authenticity over universal approval.

As research from the Journal of Business Research shows, linguistic precision in branding isn’t decorative; it’s transformative. The right words create movements — and sometimes, they divide before they unite.
When Ives chose "Protect the Dolls" over safer slogans like "Support Trans Rights" or "Love the Dolls," he made a statement of solidarity as he didn’t aim for consensus or the safer more palatable version. He made a statement that was emotional, not clinical. Protective, not patronizing.

How A White T-Shirt Became A Weapon For Change

The ripple effect was immediate — and electric.
Pedro Pascal, beloved not just for his acting but for his visible support of the LGBTQ+ community (and brother to Lux Pascal, a trans woman herself), wore the Dolls T-Shirt alongside DJ Honey Dijon. Pop stars, Troye Sivan wore it during his Coachella set and Addison Rae wore hers on Instagram. Actor, Tilda Swinton reportedly ordered several for herself and her friends.

In fashion, often times this kind of celebrity endorsement feels choreographed, but here, it felt urgent — and real. The intersection of celebrity influence and grassroots activism created the perfect storm.
Meanwhile, across the pond, the UK Supreme Court handed down a regressive ruling on gender definition, excluding trans women from parts of the Equality Act protections. It felt like a slap to the community of people already fighting for basic dignity. The Dolls T-Shirt wasn’t just a fashion choice anymore; it was armor.

From Statement To Stand: The New Branding Imperative

In today’s world, the brands — and the leaders — who will shape the future won’t be the ones hiding behind aesthetics. They’ll be the ones brave enough to take sides, to build brands with purpose, to defend marginalized communities, to fight for transgender women, to challenge regressive gender stereotypes, and to recognize that preferred gender is no longer an opinion — it’s a human right. The world has changed. Leadership must catch up.

Protect the Dolls reminds us that fashion is always political, whether we’re ready for it or not.
I have no doubt that American designer Conner Ives will, in part, be remembered for the night he turned a DIY graphic T-shirt into a weapon of beauty, resistance, and solidarity.
Protect the Dolls wasn’t a whisper. It was a roar.

Conclusion

Because in a culture that still debates the validity of gender recognition certificates, silence isn’t neutrality. It’s complicity. And if you’re not brave enough to wear your beliefs on a deadstock white T-shirt — I have to ask you — are you really brave enough to lead at all?
Named Esquire’s Influencer of the Year, Jeetendr Sehdev is a media personality and leading voice in fashion, entertainment, and influence, and author of the New York Times bestselling phenomenon The Kim Kardashian Principle: Why Shameless Sells (and How to Do It Right).

FAQs

Q: What is the significance of the "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt?
A: The "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt is a symbol of solidarity and support for the transgender community, particularly transgender women, who are facing escalating attacks on their rights, visibility, and safety.
Q: How did the T-shirt become a movement?
A: The T-shirt became a movement when American fashion designer Conner Ives wore it on the catwalk during London Fashion Week, and it was subsequently worn by celebrities such as Pedro Pascal, Troye Sivan, and Tilda Swinton, creating a ripple effect and sparking a global conversation.
Q: What is the importance of language in branding and activism?
A: Language is crucial in branding and activism as it can create movements, divide, and unite people. The right words can be transformative, and linguistic precision is essential in conveying a message and creating a sense of solidarity and community.
Q: What is the new branding imperative?
A: The new branding imperative is for leaders and brands to take a stand, build brands with purpose, defend marginalized communities, and recognize that preferred gender is a human right. Leadership must be brave enough to take sides and challenge regressive gender stereotypes.