What’s black, white, and red all over? Janelle Monáe at the 2025 Met Gala. Swathed in Thom Browne, the Grammy-winning artist brought a masterclass in Black dandyism to the Met Gala red carpet, dressed in a two-piece ensemble that nodded to 1930s tailoring with surrealist precision. The look included a duchesse silk overcoat embroidered with grosgrain ribbons in trompe l’oeil patterns of a tie, lapel, and briefcase; a matching floor-length skirt suit beneath; a Magritte-style bowler hat; and, affixed to one eye, a timepiece-monocle hybrid—half clock, half optical illusion.
But as soon as Monáe shrugged off the overcoat, a dazzling detail came into view: a diamond brooch pinned smartly to her striped tie. This wasn’t just any jewel—it was a one-of-a-kind creation made from 1800 Tequila. Yes, really. In a feat of scientific alchemy, the brand transformed its award-winning 1800 Cristalino tequila into a diamond. Designed by Jonathan Raksha of Maison Raksha, the brooch was inspired by the faceted geometry of the Cristalino bottle and the spiked silhouette of the blue Weber agave plant from which the tequila is made.
“To shine, and to create something truly iconic, you have to think differently," Monáe told Vogue. "It s all poetic when you think about it—just like diamonds form under pressure, reimagining how diamonds are made takes a future-focused vision and dedication. And to wear an ethical diamond from 1800 Tequila on the red carpet, with this year s theme, felt like a fitting tribute to that.”
“Every detail of the 1800 Tequila diamond brooch was crafted to embody the spirit of liquid in solid form," said Jonathan Raksha. “On a night when all eyes are on the red carpet, it was exciting to translate my design language into something more than just a jewel, but a bold statement that introduced the brand s first tequila diamond.”
That brooch would prove to be Monáe’s most steadfast companion throughout the night. It appeared again at GQ’s official after-party (also sponsored by 1800 Tequila), and later, at Monáe’s own late-night gathering at the Public Hotel on Chrystie Street. For the afters, the artist emerged in her third—and perhaps boldest—look of the evening: a Thom Browne mini skirt and blazer ensemble rendered in a trompe l’oeil pattern mimicking tailoring guides and basting stitches. The blazer was worn entirely open, revealing just pasties beneath, a crisp collar, and a loosely knotted tie. Holding the whole look together? That same glittering diamond brooch—one of the few constants in a night defined by reinvention.
The ensemble ticked every box of the evening’s dress code, Tailored for You, which accompanies the Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." And what is a dandy without a flourish of jewelry? For Monáe, that flourish came in the form of a diamond—ethical, engineered, and just eccentric enough to suit the moment. Call it her most intoxicating statement yet.
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