Rihanna, Pharrell Williams and A$AP Rocky. Credit :
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Fashion’s biggest night is finally here!
The 2025 Met Gala kicked off on Monday, May 5, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a number of notable names gracing the famed Met steps.
This year’s event is co-chaired by a mix of Met Gala veterans and newcomers including actor and fashion muse Colman Domingo, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, rapper A$AP Rocky, singer and designer Pharrell Williams and of course, THE Anna Wintour.
The Met Gala will have a host committee in addition to the previously announced co-chairs, including Simone Biles and her husband Jonathan Owens, Doechii, Regina King, Spike Lee, Angel Reese and Usher.
The theme this year, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” is tied to the Met’s upcoming exhibit of the same name. The Met previously shared that the exhibit will “feature garments, paintings, photographs, and more — all exploring the indelible style of Black men in the context of dandyism, from the 18th century through present day.”
As PEOPLE covers the entire event live, stay up to date on every star arrival, outfit detail and buzzy moment ahead.
Copy The Link To This Blog Post Naomi Campbell is surprisingly sitting out the 2025 Met Gala.
On Monday, May 5, the 54-year-old supermodel, who has left an indelible mark on Black fashion, took to Instagram to reveal that she would not be in attendance for fashion’s biggest night, despite having an invitation — and amid a rumored rift between her and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
“Congratulations to Anna Wintour, the brilliant designers, the dedicated Met Gala team, and stunning attendees of tonight’s extraordinary celebration,” she wore in a lengthy Instagram note. “I have to say, what perfect timing for the ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ theme. It really celebrates how Black dandyism has shaped fashion and how fashion has been a way for Black people to express who they are and claim their power.”
She also gave a nod to fashion icon André Leon Talley, who was a stylist, author and editor-at-large at Vogue prior to his death in 2022. Several other Met attendees have been paying tribute to the style giant in the lead-up to this year’s event as well, including Doechii and Colman Domingo.
Copy The Link To This Blog Post Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty
On the day of the event, LeBron James made the shocking announcement that he was no longer attending the Met Gala due to an injury, despite being an honorary chair of the event.
“Unfortunately because of my knee injury I sustained at the end of the season I won’t be able to attend the Met Gala in NY tonight as so many people have been asking and congratulating me on! Hate to miss an historical event!” he wrote on X on Monday, May 5.
However, in lieu of his absence, the NBA star said his wife, Savannah, who he called a “beautiful powerful Queen,” would be on the carpet “holding the castle down as she always has done!”
Copy The Link To This Blog Post Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny on Upper East Side before Met Gala. Aeon/GC Images (2)
Just hours before red carpet arrivals, stars had already begun popping up on the Upper East Side to get ready for the event.
Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who has been to the Met Gala four times previously, was seen waving to onlookers. Meanwhile, on-and-off-again couple Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny were seen arriving at the same location in the Big Apple, with the model carrying a big black tote and the singer wearing white slippers and pajamas.
Guest arrivals are scheduled to go from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST, with much of the red carpet coverage beginning to air and stream at 6 p.m. You can watch the Met Gala on cable by tuning into E! at 6 p.m. EST.
Copy The Link To This Blog Post The Costume Institute’s exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty
Following the official press conference, people were given a first look at the exhibition. Per Vogue, the exhibit draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity and will “feature garments, paintings, photographs, and more — all exploring the indelible style of Black men in the context of dandyism, from the 18th century through present day.” Miller will serve as a guest curator for the show with Costume Institute Curator in Charge Andrew Bolton.
Miller added that the exhibit will “illustrate how Black people transformed from being enslaved and stylized as luxury items, acquired like any other signifier of wealth and status, to autonomous self-fashioning individuals who are global trendsetters.”
Copy The Link To This Blog Post Colman Domingo speaks at the press conference for the 2025 Met Gala. Slaven Vlasic/Getty
On the day of the big event, the Metropolitan Museum of Art held an official press conference in celebration of this year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was in attendance along with this year’s co-chair Colman Domingo, who spoke at the podium.
During an interview on Vogue’s The Run Through podcast, the Oscar-nominated actor revealed that Wintour has seen what he plans to wear to the star-studded event — and he “died” at her reaction.
Domingo recalled “waiting for hours” for Wintour to reply. “And then finally, at 9:47 p.m. before I went to bed, I was like ‘I’m not going to sleep until she texts me back,’ she says, ‘work of art,'” he continued, before raising his arms and exclaiming, “I’m good, you guys! I’m gonna be alright.”
Copy The Link To This Blog Post Jonathan Owens and Simone Biles attend Kentucky Derby. Jeff Schear/Getty
Ahead of her hosting duties at the Met Gala, Simone Biles spoke exclusively with PEOPLE at the 2025 Kentucky Derby over the weekend about her look for the event.
“I think they’re telling me I’m going to wear at least five to six-inch heels, so that will be so interesting,” she hinted when asked for details about the outfit.
Biles added that she and her husband Jonathan Owens, who is hosting alongside her, aren’t working with the same designer. However, they are still going to complement each other on the carpet.
“We’ll be cohesive with one another, so that’s really exciting to share another moment,” she said, sweetly adding that Owens is the star she is “most excited to see.”
Copy The Link To This Blog Post Pharrell Williams, Anne Hathaway and Sabrina Carpenter. Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Aeon/GC Image (2)
The weekend before the Met Gala, stars popped up in the Big Apple for a handful of pre-Met Gala parties hosted by brands like Moda Operandi, LaQuan Smith and more.
Sabrina Carpenter, Anne Hathaway, Laura Harrier and more stars attended the Pre-Met Gala Cocktail Party on Saturday, May 3, which was hosted by Moda Operandi at the Twenty Two Hotel.
Elsewhere, LaQuan Smith hosted a Met Gala pre-party at Cafe Zaffri, with guests including Taraji P. Henson, Babyface and more.
Meanwhile, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Serena Williams and more were seen attending a private pre-Met Gala dinner hosted for the co-chairs and their special guests.
