Crowns and Masks Reclaimed: How Black Beauty Ruled at the 2025 Met Gala

At its very best, beauty at the Met Gala isn’t just about trends—it’s storytelling. And last night, Black beauty told a story of resistance, artistry, and pride. In every swoop of an edge, every gravity-defying curl, and every nod to icons like Zora Neale Hurston or Josephine Baker, there was a reminder that Blackness is not a theme, it’s a legacy.

This year's Met Gala also proved yet again why it’s fashion’s biggest night out—but this time round, it wasn’t just a celebration of the allure of Black design, but also Black beauty. In a true ode to Dandyism, stars stepped out with grace, reclaiming the cultural legacy of Black style from the clutches of mainstream appropriation—this time, with full authorship.

Hair stylist Devontae Washington stated his mission was “serving big, bouncy glam for my girl", supermodel Precious Lee. It was Dandy in its effortlessness, providing an effortless, voluminous look for the occasion. From intricately laid edges to towering Afros, the night delivered a masterclass in texture, shape and shine, with looks stretching from glossy glam to sharply sculpted contouring.

It encapsulated the theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” in a way that provided a star-studded, in all senses of the word, visual love letter to Black Dandyism and self-expression. Hair, long a cultural cornerstone of Black beauty, took centre stage at yesterday’s event, with some of the night's most exciting looks centred on hairstyles, accessories or makeup.

So, naturally, the night brought out the greats. Artistic displays from Pat McGrath and Charlotte Tilbury to Chanel and Dior, with smaller names, like Kiko, rising to the occasion. Ahead of last night’s celebration, celebrity hairstylist Jawara Wauchope and creative director Jarrod Lacks put on their own show pre-Met Gala. On Friday night, they gave fashion's elite a preview of the brilliance to come—a study in the intimacy and complexity of Black hair on one of the world's biggest stages.

Industry-leading hair stylists, from Cyndia Harvey to Vernon François and Malcolm Marquez, offered sculptural interpretations that pushed the boundaries of traditional hairstyling. These artists, many of whom have long used their craft as protest, struck a perfect balance between reverence and rebellion. It was a captivating marriage of what happens when the world’s greatest creative heads come together to honour the crowns that have come before. The reign of the Dandy called for a masterclass in grooming galore.

Curves, coils, bubble and bounce

Last night’s display served as a potent reminder: Black hair is art, resistance, and legacy, all in one—a harmonious balance of reverie and rebellion. Using a blend of tgin and Dyson tools, stylist Karen Miller sculpted Actress and comedian Quinta Brunson's face-framing curls into a style echoing the glamour of Josephine Baker—structured yet soft, with a modern swoop stamped firmly to her forehead.

Nigerian singer Tems showed out with delicate, finger-curled edges—a recurring signature for her that plays into her playfulness as an artist and Dandy for the night. “To create Tems’ sleek and polished Met Gala look, I relied on two of my go-to Dyson tools—for fast, controlled drying and a smooth, glossy finish,” said hair stylist Ashanti Lation.

How ‘fro can you go?

Apparently, the limit does not exist. With Dandyism deriving largely from West African culture, from the top of one’s head to the curl of one’s shoe, the Afro becomes an apex in its presentation (and preservation). At its core, Black Dandyism is not only about elegance but about gender fluidity and defiance—a reclamation of space that allows Black expression to be opulent, androgynous and unapologetically free. For that reason, it rightfully took centre stage on the decorated carpet this year. Hair stylist and educator Chloe Swift foresaw that "bolder, texture-rich statements that complemented individual looks" would be used to echo the theme’s androgyny. And some of the industry’s greats did just that. From actresses Angela Bassett and Lupita Nyong’o to Lauryn Hill and Cardi B, Dandy was the word, but so was ‘fro. And in a world and culture where the Afro has often been demonised and diminished, last night was a prime opportunity to celebrate the hairstyle in all of its curly and coily glory, with these leading ladies flaunting the perfect ode to a key part of Dandyism.

Glitz and glam, gleam and glow

As with many Met’s, so much of the magic lies in the hands of the make-up artists and the touch of their brushes. This year, offered a slightly more tame approach to the extravagance of it all. Rihanna, Zendaya and Megan Thee Stallion opted for soft-focus beauty—barely-there bases made radiant with strategic shimmer.

Glam teams (for Rihanna, Fenty Beauty Global Make-up Artist and friend Priscilla Ono and Charlotte Tilbury for Megan Thee Stallion) led with understated drama, proving that minimal can still mesmerise. Both used the new Big Lip Plumpgasm Gloss in Nudegasm Diamonds to bring some of that shimmer and shine into otherwise matte bases.