Met Gala fans slam this year's 'boring' theme as Vogue announces a-list host committee

Met Gala fans are sharing their concern that this year's 'boring' theme will lead to lackluster looks on fashion's biggest night.

As is tradition, the first Monday in May 2025 will see the most famous names in the business showcase their interpretation of this year's theme - Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

The photos taken of the celebrities walking up the staircase of New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art will be judged by fashion lovers all over the globe.

But judgement has already begun after Vogue confirmed that the dress code for the night is 'Tailored for you.'

Fans flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to express concern that the simplistic theme would lead to visually disappointing affair.

'Met Gala theme boring again ohhhh sis we're sleepy,' one user commented.

Another wrote: 'The amount of men that will wear tailored black suits to the Met Gala….'

'Another boring Met Gala yay,' a third user tweeted, while another stated: 'The Met Gala theme is out, men better not be boring this year.'

One fan lamented: 'Such an easy theme and so many beautiful pieces could be worn… so get ready for a night of probably the most disastrous Met Gala looks ever.'

Some expressed concerns about the racial influence behind the theme, as one fan wrote: 'I'll be the first to say it … that Met Gala theme is weird, I don't want to see a bunch of white people impersonating black time period pieces.'

Others felt the theme was secretly a way to challenge men who often do attend in a standard suit.  

'Met Gala dress code being clear on menswear importance as a clear call out for men to try harder and stop being f**king boring,' a different user wrote.

Another commented: 'Everyone saying the men have no excuse to wear something boring this year for the met gala as if anything is going to stop them from grabbing the same black suit in their closets and calling it a day... only certain names you can count on.'  

For this year's gala, every chair or committee member is black except for Vogue Editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who has the lead chairperson for the event since the 1990s. 

NBA superstar LeBron James is the honorary chair, while Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams are the other co-chairs for the event. 

The rest of the committee members include artist André 3000, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, global athletes Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens, designer Grace Wales Bonner and painter Jordan Casteel.

Designer and fashion titan Dapper Dan, rapper Doechii, actress Ayo Edebiri, respected fashion editor Edward Enninful and playwrights Jeremy O. Harris and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins are also on the committee.

While artist Rashid Johnson, actress and director Regina King, filmmaker Spike Lee and author Tonya Lewis Lee, actress Audra McDonald, musician Janelle Monáe, actor Jeremy Pope will join them

Elsewhere, athletes Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson, designer Olivier Rousteing, singer Tyla, R&B icon Usher, and lauded artist Kara Walker round out the group.

When the theme was announced last October, it sparked fears of an 'appropriation disaster' from fashion fans. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City revealed that the Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style was inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.

According to Vogue, the exhibit is going to include garments, paintings and photographs that explore 'the indelible style of Black men in the context of dandyism, from the 18th-century through present day.'

Many commenters said they couldn't wait to see how stars such as Zendaya , her stylist Law Roach, Janelle Monae , Rihanna and Teyana Taylor interpret the theme.

However, others were more concerned about appropriation and representation.

'Am I the only nervous about this?' one fashion fan asked as another said, 'A good theme but let’s hope no one will appropriate cultures.' 

Some people were simply worried about the guest list, explaining, 'It’s TIME BLACK CREATIVES are honored for their contributions to the fashion industry, hope the invite list reflects the theme.'

Others were a bit more optimistic, writing, 'Plenty of time to do this theme right, I wonder how the other ethnicities will style this and not be culturally appropriating or disrespectful/stereotypical.'

Some people were excited, commenting, 'This carpet will go down in history,' 'This is going to be legendary,' and describing the line-up as 'Black Royalty.'

This is far from the first Met Gala controversy, especially as ticket prices skyrocketed to $75,000 last year.

In 2024, Conde Nast union workers threatened to strike and stage a protest at the annual fashion event.

'Conde Nast workers are demanding a fair contract... Conde Nast management: meet us at the table, or we'll meet you at the Met,' the union warned in a message posted to X.

In 2023, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's staff said she was a guest of Anna Wintour instead of a guest of Vogue as was listed on her invitation.

As a guest of Vogue AOC may have violated Congressional ethics rules against taking gifts from companies which uses lobbyists as Vogue's owner does.

AOC still accepted a pair of $35,000 gala tickets and paid only $300 for her $1,300 dress emblazoned with the phrase 'Tax the Rich,' which caused a major controvers .