MET Gala 2025: the record figure that has the fashion world in a frenzy

An extraordinary Met Gala, a powerful message, and a vertiginous sum. With $31 million raised, the 2025 edition of the MET Gala marks a milestone in the history of the Costume Institute.

The most expensive gala… and the most political?

Held in New York, the MET Gala 2025 not only brought together the crème de la crème of fashion and celebrities. It also set an all-time record for donations. This staggering sum – $31 million, according to the New York Times – represents the highest collection since the event’s inception in 1948.

How can this figure be explained? Firstly, because prices have skyrocketed: a single ticket would cost $75,000, three times more than ten years ago. Secondly, the involvement of major sponsors such as Louis Vuitton, the main sponsor of this year’s event.

But what sets the MET Gala 2025 apart is its cultural scope: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, the exhibition inaugurated on this occasion, offers an unprecedented rereading of black fashion, from the 18th century to the present day.

A game-changing exhibition

The first exhibition entirely dedicated to black fashion, “Superfine” questions dominant narratives of style, focusing on the aesthetics of African-American dandyism. It also shines the spotlight on designers of color who have long been ignored by institutions.

This curatorial choice is not insignificant. It echoes the growing demand for diversity in major Western museums and in the fashion industry. It is also the first time in 20 years that the MET has devoted an exhibition to men’s fashion.

A prestigious presidency

Anna Wintour remains the tutelary figure of the event, but this edition was also co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams(artistic director of men’s collections at Louis Vuitton), and placed under the high patronage of LeBron James.

Also read: Met Gala: Gigi Hadid resurrects Josephine Baker in Miu Miu