Scarlett Harris
Fashion critic
Image source, ReutersThis year’s theme is focused on the style of dandyism as pioneered by black men.
The event’s organisers are enforcing a dress code that is related to the theme but leaves room for individual interpretation: “Tailored for You”.
It allows attendees flexibility in developing their own looks to reflect the theme without risking any potential accusations of appropriating the cultural history of black dandyism.
On the red carpet, we can expect to see impeccable tailoring from the likes of Thom Browne, the partner of the Costume Institute’s head curator Andrew Bolton; a slew of Louis Vuitton, the French fashion house helmed by Gala co-chair Pharrell Williams; and fellow co-chair ASAP Rocky, who has really upped his Met Gala game since becoming involved with style icon Rihanna, will no doubt push the boundaries.
“You can’t really use clothing as masculinity anymore. Those lines are blurred, and I like to play with that,” ASAP Rocky told Vogue, while revealing that he raids Rihanna’s wardrobe in the same way she does his.
Co-chair Colman Domingo – who I can’t help but think played a huge role in inspiring the theme as he’s been carrying the baton for well-dressed and daring men on the red carpet for several years now – has already been spotted in a royal blue cloak that pays homage to André Leon Talley, former editor-at-large of Vogue whom Anna Wintour called “a dandy among dandies.”
