A Celebration Fit for an Icon: The Met Gala's Ode to André Leon Talley at the 2025 Event
Respected Admiration Paid to André Leon Talley at the Met Gala in a Multitude of Ways
The 2025 Met Gala was a star-studded affair, but it was one dearly departed fashion icon who truly stole the show. André Leon Talley, the late creative director and editor at large of Vogue magazine, left an indelible mark on the event, with his influence permeating both the theme and the attire of the guests.
Anna Wintour, Vogue Editor-in-Chief, penned an emotional tribute to Talley in her editor's letter last month, expressing that she would be thinking of him on the night of the Met Gala. She wasn't the only one. From Anne Hathaway to Rev. Al Sharpton, many attendees paid tribute to Talley, who passed away in January 2022, as they walked the blue carpet.
Hathaway, resplendent in Carolina Herrera, revealed that she dressed specifically to honor Talley. "We wanted André Leon Talley to look down from heaven and scream 'GLAMOUR,'" she said on the Vogue livestream. Sharpton, meanwhile, aimed to showcase Talley's trailblazing contributions to the fashion world. "People like Talley fought to have a night like this," he said, referencing the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" exhibit, the first Costume Institute exhibit to focus exclusively on Black designers.
Colman Domingo, one of the event co-chairs, seemed to pay homage to Talley's love for dramatic capes, donning a Valentino cape and later switching to a black-and-white checkered jacket, citing inspirations ranging from Shakespeare's Othello to regal aesthetics.
Some tributes were more overt. Actor Tessa Thompson carried a fan featuring Talley's portrait, while model Paloma Elsesser wore a leather jacket splashed with his image. Others got extra creative, with Doechii, a member of the host committee, recreating a famous photograph of Talley joyfully bounding out of a hotel, complete with a larger-than-life smile, a tennis racket, and Louis Vuitton luggage.
The point seemed clear: have fun, just like Talley would have. As Wintour wrote in her editorial, "André knew who he was, and I know how much he would have adored 'Superfine,' every aspect of it."
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Enrichment Insights:
- André Leon Talley, who passed away in January 2022, heavily influenced the spirit of the 2025 Met Gala, with several attendees paying tribute to his legacy on the blue carpet.
- Tessa Thompson carried a fan featuring Talley’s portrait, while Paloma Elsesser wore a leather jacket emblazoned with Talley’s image en route to the event.
- Colman Domingo wore a Valentino floor- length blue cape and embroidered bolero inspired by Talley’s love of capes, and later switched to a black-and-white checkered jacket, citing various inspirations.
- Anne Hathaway chose a Carolina Herrera design in partnership with SCAD, stating her goal was to make Talley “scream ‘GLAMOUR’ from heaven.”
- Rev. Al Sharpton emphasized Talley’s role in elevating Black designers, wearing a dandy-inspired look to honor his advocacy.
- The Costume Institute exhibit showcased one of Talley’s suits and focused exclusively on Black designers for the first time, aligning with his lifelong mission to amplify Black voices in fashion.
- Seattle author and 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner Tessa Hulls, alongside other celebrities such as Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, attended the 2025 Met Gala, which paid a moving tribute to the late Andre Leon Talley.
- Similar to actress Anne Hathaway who selected a Carolina Herrera design specifically to honor Talley and make him "scream 'GLAMOUR,'" Wa pop star Benson Boone might draw inspiration from the icon for his first Seattle arena show.
- Seattle's fashion scene embraced Talley's legacy at the 2025 Met Gala, with Tessa Thompson carrying a fan adorned with Talley's portrait, Paloma Elsesser wearing a jacket emblazoned with his image, and Colman Domingo donning a Valentino cape inspired by his love for capes.
- As the first Costume Institute exhibit to focus exclusively on Black designers, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" targeted Talley's lifelong mission to amplify Black voices in fashion, exemplifying the spirit of pop-culture icons like Andre Leon Talley.
