Superfine: African Excellence at the 2025 Met Gala
- agency758
- May 22
- 2 min read
The 2025 Met Gala was a love letter to Black style, tailored, textured, and unapologetically bold. The theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," invited fashion’s elite to celebrate the legacy of Black dandyism, and the African stars on the guest list? They understood the brief. Then they shredded it and rewrote it in Ankara and silk.
Let’s start with Tems, who stepped out in a deep blue printed ball gown suit in blue-to-teal jacquard by Oswald Boateng, rich with echoes of West African ankara and prints. The green-print necktie, matching umbrella, and hair ribbon pulled together a look that was equal parts Fela’s Lagos and Fifth Avenue. Cinched at the waist with surgical precision, it was heritage wrapped in haute couture.
Ayra Starr arrived with the energy of a headlining act. Her custom black Boateng ensemble featured a plunging neckline, a thigh-high slit, and a cane, yes, a cane, because sometimes you need a prop when you’re carrying this much fashion weight. The Gen Z siren looked like the love child of Diahann Carroll and a Marvel superhero.
Burna Boy, back for his second Met, made sure his look told a story. And what a story it was: a royal red tuxedo paired with an oxblood eel skin cape (yes, eel skin, because Burna does nothing by halves), also by Boateng. He told Vogue, “I’m excited to represent, not just walk,” and represent he did. Boateng, the first Black designer with a Savile Row address, wasn’t designing clothes, he was dressing history.
Tyla, fresh off her Grammy win and water-glass dress era, paid tribute to André Leon Talley in a structured off-the-shoulder Jacquemus gown, with a subtle navy pinstripe and a sweeping cape. Her platinum pixie and Pandora tennis necklace completed the look, a modern take on old Hollywood with an African twist.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie kept it cool and classic in a Prabal Gurung gown. No bells or whistles, just refined elegance and quiet power. Honestly, she could’ve worn a library card and we’d still give her Best Dressed.
Damson Idris turned his appearance into a mini blockbuster. He arrived in a racing helmet and Hilfiger race suit, promo for his upcoming F1 film, only to have assistants peel it off to reveal a custom three-piece suit underneath. The gold-and-red plaid detail on the jacket? Dandyism on turbo. His debut jewelry line, Didris, launched with a bang: a brooch featuring an 11-carat emerald and a green tourmaline pendant worth $13,250.
Stormzy brought low-key fire in Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann: black oxfords, high-waisted pants, and a partially unbuttoned white shirt with rolled sleeves. The look felt like a jazz riff on tradition, cool, understated, and deeply stylish.
And then there was Cynthia Erivo, who embodied the Queen of Hearts in a sculptural Givenchy corset glittering with silver gems and ruby-red detailing. Dramatic, regal, and totally on theme, it was a reminder that dandyism isn’t just for the gents.
This year’s Met Gala wasn’t just a night of fashion. It was a cultural thesis on Black identity, elegance, and power, tailored to perfection.
Written by Vanessa Twerefou
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