André Leon Talley, the late fashion journalist and fashion trailblazer, was honored through several looks on the Met Gala carpet.
On Monday, Colman Domingo paid tribute to Talley, with their fashion forward looks for the gala’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” and dress code: “Tailored for You.”
For his look, Domingo wore a look Talley would have praised and worn himself. The Academy Award nominee, who is a co-chair for tonight’s event, arrived in a floor-length pleated blue cape, which had an embroidered bolero.
According to Vanity Fair, Domingo’s look was by Valentino, which he is a brand ambassador for. The label’s creative director Alessandro Michele designed the look.
Domingo also switched into a second look on the carpet, which was a black-and-white checkered jacket with a silk scarf as a tie and large flower on his lapel.
He was all smiles as he posed for photos with his husband, Raul.
In an interview on the carpet with Vogue, Domingo said he drew inspiration from “many things” for his look.
“I wanted to take this across the seas in many ways and got inspiration from sort of the moors. Like Othello the moor and kings and also the color blue,” he said.
He added, “It’s a little nod to Andre Leon Talley as well. There’s a great photo of him actually at the Met Gala with a beautiful blue cape.”
Talley, who was known as a pioneer in fashion for supporting emerging designers and advocating for diversity in the fashion industry, died in January 2022. He was 73.
The fashion icon was the first African-American creative director at Vogue from 1988 to 1995. He also served as fashion news director from 1983 to 1987.
Furthermore, Talley was loved for his loud and luxurious personal style.
Ahead of the 2025 Met Gala, Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, said in an op-ed that she will be “thinking” of Talley “on the night of the Met Gala, an evening made for him.”
“André was a dandy among dandies and he radiated joy,” she said.
Andre Leon Talley and Anna Wintour attend the Donna Karan New York Fall 2011 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Feb. 14, 2011 in New York City.
Eugene Gologursky/WireImage via Getty Images
She added, “He understood that, especially as a Black man, what you wore told a story about you, about your history, about self-respect. And so, for André, getting dressed was an act of autobiography, and also mischief and fantasy, and so much else at once.”
Wintour also mentioned how one of Talley’s favorite suits will be on display at this year’s exhibit.
Leading up to the Met Gala, several stars had already paid tribute to Talley, including Grammy winning rapper Doechii, who honored Talley’s love of tennis through a sporty look, which featured a tennis racket cover designed by Louis Vuitton.
Model Paloma Elsesser also wore a leather jacket with Talley’s portrait on the back as she walked into the Mark Hotel in New York City on Sunday.
In a video shared by the Met Museum over the weekend, Domingo also mentioned Talley’s influence on this year’s theme.
Met Gala Chair Anna Wintour, Co-Chair Colman Domingo and Co-Chair Lewis Hamilton attend the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art, May 5, 2025, in New York.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
“I’m recognizing that it means more to me than I even imagined,” Domingo said. “It’s someone who’s been creating art and spaces who has knowledge and history, who’s always trying to interrogate who we are and understanding who’s come before.”
“You walk into a space and you get met with some items, some artists, some artisans, people who have defined and redefined themselves, especially when it comes to the Black male experience,” he continued. “It’s extraordinary. I know where I’m standing in history right now, at least my little part of it.”
“And if I can point someone’s head back to history to understand how we got here,” he added. “Because it’s not just because I’m here, it’s because André Leon Talley was here. It’s because all these other artisans and people and human beings were here.”
