The Met Gala 2025, held on May 5th at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, was not just a fashion event—it was a powerful cultural statement. This year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” with a dress code titled “The Garden of Time”, inspired by J.G. Ballard’s short story, encouraged guests to reflect on fashion’s fragility, temporality, and romanticism—particularly through nature and historical references.
Co-chaired by Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, and Vogue’s own Anna Wintour, the night was a visual feast, with florals, vines, decaying opulence, vintage silhouettes, and surreal interpretations of nature walking the carpet.
🌸 Understanding the Theme: “The Garden of Time”
Inspired by Ballard’s 1962 story, the dress code was a poetic ode to the balance between beauty and destruction. It mirrored the modern tension between preserving tradition and embracing the ephemeral. With 200 pieces in the Costume Institute’s accompanying exhibit, including 17th-century garments and fragile archival couture, the night demanded more than beauty—it demanded a story.
Designers leaned heavily into botanical embroidery, antique laces, cascading floral trains, dystopian silhouettes, and even digital fashion integrations, showcasing how the old and the new could intertwine in fashion storytelling.
💫 Most Iconic Red Carpet Looks & Moments
1. Zendaya’s Dual Transformations
Returning as a co-chair, Zendaya made jaws drop twice—first in a custom Maison Margiela Artisanal look by John Galliano, featuring navy tulle, feathered detailing, and a corset dress adorned with flora and insect motifs. Then, just when we thought it couldn’t get more theatrical, she returned in a black corseted gown with a massive bouquet headpiece by Givenchy—another Galliano moment. Both were hauntingly beautiful, darkly romantic, and deeply thematic.
💬 “Zendaya gave us gothic garden fairy tales with a touch of high drama.”
2. Rihanna’s Late Arrival: Fashion’s Final Flower
Fashionably late, as always, Rihanna arrived in a sculptural white Valentino Haute Couture creation, echoing a blooming camellia. The coat opened into a cascading train with floral appliqués, revealing a sleek sheath gown beneath. And yes, she confirmed her third pregnancy—causing an internet meltdown.
3. Diana Ross’s Legendary Return
After over 20 years, Diana Ross made her Met Gala comeback in a regal Ugo Mozie gown with an 18-foot train—embroidered with the names of her children and grandchildren. Her look was a powerful tribute to legacy and love, with soulful elegance that matched the night’s emotional tone.
4. Bad Bunny’s Rose Garden Fantasy
Co-chair Bad Bunny wore a sculpted, rose-laden black suit by Maison Margiela, accented with red florals across the shoulders and gloves. The design nodded to romantic decay, symbolizing fleeting time and nature’s drama. He was among the most on-theme male attendees.
5. Ariana Grande’s Moonlit Angel Look
Ariana floated in wearing a cloud-like pastel organza gown by Loewe, with structured pleats resembling delicate butterfly wings. Her gown reflected softness and otherworldliness, matching her ethereal music persona.
6. Doja Cat’s Digital Fairy Decay
Known for her daring looks, Doja Cat took it up a notch with a semi-sheer bodysuit, complete with digital projections of blooming flowers turning into dust—symbolizing life’s cycle. Designed by Iris van Herpen, the outfit brought futuristic art into a vintage narrative.
7. Colman Domingo’s Fashion Dedication to André Leon Talley
Another standout, actor Colman Domingo wore a custom Valentino ensemble, paying homage to the late fashion editor André Leon Talley. The look included a billowing cape and a dramatic silhouette that oozed historical grandeur, paired with emotional grace.
🧵 Fashion Trends That Ruled the Carpet
✿ Botanical Surrealism
Embroidery, 3D florals, vines, and petals draped across bodices, necklines, and sleeves. Attendees resembled living gardens and enchanted flora.
✿ Decaying Beauty
A theme that emphasized time’s passing—seen in distressed fabrics, muted palettes, and stained silhouettes mimicking decay.
✿ Historical Silhouettes
Corsetry, panniers, exaggerated puffed sleeves, and hoop skirts dominated the night—echoes of 17th–19th-century fashion revived with a contemporary edge.
✿ Fantasy Hair & Accessories
Floral tiaras, insect-shaped jewelry, trailing capes, leaf crowns, and hair adorned with vines were seen across the board.
📸 Other Celebs Who Slayed the Theme
- Gigi Hadid in Thom Browne, wearing a white corset gown adorned with shattered crystal leaves.
- Jennifer Lopez as a silver phoenix in Schiaparelli Haute Couture, wingspan-inspired and dripping in sparkles.
- A$AP Rocky in a kilt-layered suit, mixing punk with Victorian elegance.
- Janelle Monáe in an avant-garde garden sculpture gown by Christian Cowan.
- Anya Taylor-Joy in a mystical blue Dior gown, with pressed floral motifs.
🎨 The Cultural Significance
The 2025 Met Gala wasn’t just about fashion—it was about storytelling through clothing. It explored the passage of time, human impact on nature, and the fragile, fleeting nature of beauty. It celebrated craftsmanship, legacy, and fashion as an emotional art form.
🛑 Final Take
Met Gala 2025 proved that fashion’s future lies in its ability to honor the past while questioning its present. This year’s red carpet wasn’t just about bold looks—it was about vulnerability, symbolism, sustainability, and the artistry of design. From Rihanna’s maternal glow to Zendaya’s theatrical flair, the evening was a lush, multi-sensory celebration of timeless style.
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