EXCLUSIVE: MET GALA SET FOR MENSWEAR MAYHEM - WHAT STARS WILL WEAR TO THE BALL
This year’s “Tailored for You” Met Gala theme is inspiring sharp suiting
The countdown is on for the most theatrical night in fashion — and Monday’s Met Gala is already shaping up to be a deliciously chaotic mix of corsets, collar stays, and controversy.
With the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, designers and stylists are turning to menswear past and present — but don’t expect the carpet to be all buttoned-up.
“It’s supposed to be about tailoring, but let’s be honest — no one's coming to the Met to look modest,” one stylist tells #ShuterScoop. “Half the dresses won’t even have pants.”
The twist? Women are leading the charge — swapping princess gowns for structured blazers, wide lapels, and silk ties.
“This year, the girls want to out-dandy the boys,” a designer working with a major celebrity reveals. “You’ll see tuxedo jackets with nothing underneath, mini-suits with trains, and enough crystal buttons to blind someone.”
Expect nods to vintage Yves Saint Laurent, Edwardian silhouettes, and even throwbacks to that 1999 backwards Dior moment worn by Celine Dion. But don’t think it’s all homage.
“Some of these stars are using the theme as a loophole,” says a top fashion PR insider. “They're basically doing lingerie with lapels and calling it ‘menswear inspired.’”
Meanwhile, red carpet strategists say men — who are co-chairing the event this year — are planning to break out of their usual black tux rut.
“Colman [Domingo] is going full couture, and Pharrell’s team has fittings booked in three time zones,” says one Met Ball production source. “They’re coming to compete, not coast.”
Still, some critics think the theme is risky, with concerns of cultural appropriation or bland interpretation.
“There’s always someone who shows up in a literal top hat and calls it a night,” sighs a veteran stylist. “This year, that won’t fly. There’s real cultural weight behind this theme — and the room will notice who gets it wrong.”
But even with a deeper message at play, one tradition is guaranteed to continue:
“Someone will show up practically naked,” another source laughs. “It’s the Met Gala. There will be cheeks.”
Final fittings are underway, NDAs are being signed, and the gloves — or more likely, the cummerbunds — are coming off.
Stay tuned. Monday’s red carpet may be the most tailored — and tantalizing — one yet.