The Best-Dressed Met Gala 2025 Guests, According to 'Marie Claire' Editors

Marie Claire editors knew making the 2025 Met Gala best-dressed list would never be a simple as pulling on a blazer. Acing the "Tailored for You" dress code while honoring the red carpet evening's theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" required a deep understanding of the Black dandy—and the Black designers, writers, models, stylists, and editors who've shaped that legacy.

The May 5 Met Gala red carpet, where Zendaya stunned in bridal white and Doechii made her Met Gala debut, was about so much more than the first impressions lighting up the Marie Claire Slack. It celebrated the upcoming costume exhibit inspired by Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. "Black dandyism and tailoring traditions have such a rich, documented history dating back centuries," costume historian Shelby Ivey Christie told Marie Claire. The exhibit incorporates exquisitely tailored pieces dating from the late 1800s to the Harlem Renaissance and the present day. With such a sweeping legacy of Black style icons to honor, the best-dressed list "demands archival research and historical understanding."

"You can't just throw on any tailored garment and call it a day," Christie explained. "The 'Superfine' element refers to both the quality of craftsmanship and that extra special 'something' that Black style has always brought to tailoring—that intentional swagger, that purposeful elegance that transformed clothing from mere fabric into powerful statements of personhood."

The following guests aced the assignment, bringing looks that tipped their hats to the centuries-long influence of the Black dandy on style. Some dove into the archives for a vintage-inspired look; others tapped their go-to designer for a custom piece combining references. And yes, a few exquisitely crafted blazers were involved. Ahead, see all the best dressed from the 2025 Met Gala ahead that got Marie Claire editors talking—and check Marie Claire's live red carpet coverage for the details you may have missed.

Rihanna wearing custom Marc Jacobs

"No matter the Met Gala theme, if Rihanna is on the guest list, she's saving the best look of the night for last. Literally, because she consistently shuts down the red carpet. Tonight, the singer made her Met Gala debut nearly an hour after the livestream's conclusion with a surprise: the reveal of her third pregnancy with co-chair A$AP Rocky. And what better way to embody the evening's theme of self-assurance, perseverance, and all-out style than showing off a growing family in custom Marc Jacobs suiting? Rihanna's tilted hat, bustle, and Oxford heels channeled a dandy of the early twentieth century, but the slitted skirt and all-out confidence were purely 2025. I miss her walk up the Met steps already." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Doechii wearing custom Louis Vuitton

“Doechii is a burgeoning fashion icon, and her Met Gala look just solidified her status as ‘It girl of the moment.’ There’s much to love about the star’s Louis Vuitton suit set—which is an ode to ‘students of hip-hop’— but I’ll start by waxing poetic about her polished blazer. Stitched with bold padded shoulders and a sculpted construction, this layer fits her like a glove. I love that she opted for Bermuda shorts over tailored trousers, so that she could show off her burgundy T-strap loafers (which, by the way, perfectly match with her sumptuous bow tie). Stylist Sam Woolf is a genius for putting this look together.” —Lauren Tappan, fashion editor

Tracee Ellis Ross wearing Marc Jacobs

"One look at Tracee Ellis Ross in custom Marc Jacobs, and I knew: This is a Met Gala guest who is feeling good. Ross said as much about her playfully oversize jacket and pants, set with an even bigger hot pink bow, in conversation with Vogue's livestream host LaLa Anthony. 'I feel like it's animated joy and artistry,' she said. Ross reports she had 'chills all over her body' when her custom Stephen Jones hat was fitted to her measurements. I had an equally visceral reaction to her look: I smiled bigger than I had all night." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Cynthia Erivo wearing custom Givenchy

"Cynthia is typically my favorite celeb on any given red carpet and, of course, she absolutely thrived under this dress code. I was feeling jaded about the no-pants look, but this look single-handedly changed my mind. It's the perfect combination of glitz, glamour, sex appeal, and theme—easily my best dressed of the night. She's genuinely the first celeb of the evening to make me gasp at my computer screen and yell at my partner to come look." —Kelsey Stiegman, contributing fashion writer

Zendaya wearing Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams

"I know, I know: It's basically a give-in that Zendaya's Met Gala look will send fashion girls into a tizzy. But I quite literally screeched when the Euphoria star appeared solo on the 2025 red carpet. First, there's the way her Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams suit interpolated the 'Tailored for You' dress code, combining references to the zoot suits of the mid-twentieth century and the women's power suiting of the 1980s with ease. Then, there are the swoon-worthy bridal references fit for a recently engaged woman: the all-white palette, the tilted hat—it's very Bianca Jagger. Most of all, it's the way Zendaya carries herself with such poise and grace even in her most outwardly minimalist Met Gala look to date. It turns out, she and Law Roach don't need light-up garments or a yards-long train to dazzle. All Zendaya needs is herself and a great suit." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Emma Chamberlain wearing custom Courrèges and vintage eBay accessories

"One element of dandyism that stuck with me in my pre-Met Gala research is materiality: how a lot of the movement's pioneers would get creative to repurpose old pieces or cast-off fabrics to create something exquisite. It's this history that struck me the most in Emma Chamberlain's look, one of the earliest of the night. She paired an entirely custom Courrèges pinstripe dress with accessories she sourced herself from eBay, including teeny-tiny tinted glasses and jewelry.

"'With eBay, I have been shopping vintage for years and to me it's always been kind of a dream to ... vintage shop for my Met look and that's never really worked out, and this year it did,' she said on the Vogue livestream. Bringing her down-to-earth shopping skills to the Met struck me as a perfect interpretation of the theme—and one that's more sustainable than buying new, too." — Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor.

Lewis Hamilton wearing Grace Wales Bonner

"Of course Lewis Hamilton got it right. He’s a true student of fashion and he does his homework—and as a Met Gala co-chair, he came fully prepared as one of the best dressed. This year’s theme honored the legacy and influence of Black style, and Hamilton showed up in a sharp white suit that was dandy, elegant, and it doubled as a quiet flex as a nod to one of the most important Black female designers in the game, Wales Bonner." —Sara Holzman, fashion director

Diana Ross wearing Ugo Mozi

"I gasped when Diana Ross stepped out onto the blue and daisy-flecked red carpet—this was a show-stopper in every sense. In a crystallized silver gown embellished with crystals and beads and an 18-foot train (!) embroidered with the names of her children and grandchildren, the musical legend literally shut down the carpet since no one could follow without stepping on her tail. Her look was crafted by Nigerian designer Ugo Mozi and ticked the most important box, following the evening's theme of "Superfine" style and Black dandyism, but it's the sentimental tie-in that took it to the very top of the night's best-dressed." —Emma Childs, fashion features editor

Kerry Washington wearing custom Simkhai

"Kerry Washington told me hours before the 2025 Met Gala red carpet that Jonathan Simkhai was one of the few people to make her feel 'starstruck.' I can see why after getting a full look at her ensemble by the LA-based designer. He did a miraculous job softening the bones of a classic suit, adding a cowl neckline instead of a classic lapel and replacing an opaque skirt with a crinoline sheer one instead. This look is a lesson in high-contrast, high reward—and it's also just pretty. The backless blazer with Chopard diamonds dripping over the back earned a double-take." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Sabrina Carpenter wearing Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams

"Short and sweet—and suited! Sabrina Carpenter epitomized tonight's tailored theme two-fold. There's the obvious fact that she chose a Louis Vuitton by Pharrell suit-inspired look, featuring a maroon bodysuit, white collared dickey undershirt, and a cropped blazer with super-long tails. But on a subliminal level, Carpenter's pinstriped and pantsless red carpet look was perfectly tailored to her style; the "Espresso" singer's look was playful, flirty, and felt like something she'd wear on her own, even without Anna Wintour and a dress code to prompt her." —Emma Childs, fashion features editor

Lupita Nyong'o wearing custom Chanel

"Lupita Nyong'o and stylist Micaela Erlanger have been making red carpet magic for over a decade now. Still, this pair finds new ways to dazzle me and, clearly, have a lot of fun themselves. Lupita's Met Gala look involved 400 hours of work at the Chanel atelier, but the way that cape flares out behind her? Effortless." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Demi Moore wearing Thom Browne

"Demi’s Thom Browne look—basically a giant beaded tie covered in 1.4 million bugle beads—somehow managed to feel both cheeky and couture. It was a clever nod to the night’s theme—because what’s more tailored than flipping a symbol of corporate masculinity into walking art?" — Sara Holzman, fashion director

Zoe Saldaña wearing Thom Browne

"Zoe Saldaña's bob haircut almost distracted me from what was going on underneath. But even a dramatic chop couldn't keep my eyes off her Thom Browne dress. From afar, it looks like a waistcoat draped over a white, shirted gown with strong shoulders—look closer, and the entire garment is coated in bugle beads (a Browne signature). The combination of exquisite construction, attention to detail, and a hint of drama makes this look a 2025 Met Gala winner to me." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Gigi Hadid wearing Miu Miu

"Every Met Gala presents opportunities to make a strong reference, and Gigi Hadid's red carpet collaboration with stylist Gabriella Karefa-Johnson delivered. The pair looked to Zelda Wynn Valdes, a Black designer who made history with her beloved atelier in 1940s New York, to recreate one of her pieces for Josephine Baker. The resulting Miu Miu gown is a thoughtful homage to the evening's theme—and an all-around sight to behold." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Janelle Monáe wearing Thom Browne

"Janelle Monáe was one of the first celebrities on my must-see list when this year's theme was announced. The singer already inhabited the Black dandy mode in creative suiting by Thom Browne and Louis Vuitton in the past—while the look could feel like a stretch for other guests, it felt easy as breathing on Monáe. Her turn on the Met Gala steps came with a layered Thom Browne look, created in collaboration with costume designer Paul Tazewell: first with a structured striped coat with shoulders hovering over her body, then with a second red, white, and blue set underneath. The confidence with which she changed outfits in front of the cameras—and pulled off a monocle!—showed me this year's Met Gala dress code was tailored for Monáe, actually." —Halie LeSavage, senior fashion news editor

Teyana Taylor wearing custom Ruth E. Carter

"When I saw Teyana Taylor’s Met Gala look, I immediately thought of André Leon Talley, the ultimate Black dandy who loved nothing more than to dress in a dramatic cape. Taylor channeled her inner Talley while wearing an embroidered cherry red cape, which she designed in partnership with Black Panther Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter. Beneath her sweeping layer, she flaunted a three-piece pinstripe suit, which honored dandyism’s commitment to sophisticated tailoring. Although Taylor’s perfectly stitched clothes took center stage, her accessories had their moment in the spotlight too. Can we please take a moment for her glossy leather gloves, embellished fedora hat, and red wooden cane?" —Lauren Tappan, fashion editor

Halle Berry wearing LaQuan Smith

"Who says armor can’t be see-through? Halle Berry’s LaQuan Smith gown was both sheer and sculpted—a mix of showgirl sparkle and razor-sharp tailoring, “part Bond girl, part Harlem Renaissance,” according to Smith. Leave it to Berry to make a sheer dress feel like the new tux. The icon also topped off the look with a bevy of never-before-seen Cartier high jewelry that took 1,455 hours to create." —Sara Holzman, fashion director

Lauryn Hill wearing custom Cheney Chan

"Having a man follow you around on the red carpet holding a parasol is, frankly, the kind of drama I expect from a Met Gala red carpet. Add a sculptured, butter yellow suit, bold gold jewelry, and an Hermès bag, and Lauren absolutely delivered with her first-ever Met Gala appearance. I just want to know: What took so long?" —Kelsey Stiegman, contributing fashion writer