Since leaving office in January, former Vice President Kamala Harris has kept a relatively low profile, her rare public appearances (catching a performance of Gypsy here in New York, accepting a prize at the NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena, visiting the Brentwood Farmers Market) prompting great waves of social media attention. But after taking her first big step back into the political sphere last Wednesday—when, addressing the crowd at a gala fundraiser in San Francisco, she lambasted the “abandonment” of “America’s highest ideals” by the Trump administration—Harris enjoyed a grand night out on Monday, attending her first Met Gala alongside husband Doug Emhoff.
For the occasion, Harris chose a custom look from Off-White, designed by creative director IB Kamara. Made of heavy black and white cady silks (to give it “a deep, luxurious texture,” per the house), Harris’s dress featured a long scarf, one sweeping statement sleeve, and a pleated skirt, all nods to the Tailored for You dress code. (She carried a Roger Vivier clutch.) Emhoff, for his part, wore a tuxedo by Brunello Cucinelli.
For a figure known to telegraph elements of her history and personality through her clothing—whether the coolly practical Converse sneakers that she sported throughout her first presidential campaign; her strings of pearls, a defining symbol of Alpha Kappa Alpha, her beloved sorority; or the “coconut brown” wool grain de poudre Chloé suit that she wore to last summer’s Democratic National Convention—this spring’s Costume Institute exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” could hardly be more relevant. In a statement to Vogue, Harris praised the work of the Costume Institute, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art more broadly, for giving trenchant, agenda-setting examples of creativity—such as the ones on display in “Superfine,” which positions the Black dandy as an icon of self-determination and resistance—a platform.
“Art has always had a significant impact on not just culture, but also our policies and politics,” Harris said. “Artistic expression—whether it’s dance, music, visual arts, or fashion—has a way of capturing the mood and language of the people without words. Art has the power to shape the conversation about where we are today and where we need to go.”
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When describing the concept behind Harris’s look, Kamara told Vogue that “for this monumental night at the Met celebrating Black culture and iconicity, we felt simplicity is best. Utilizing a mix of silk fabrications and precise tailoring, we added subtle flares, allowing her own dandyism to shine through—like the dramatic sleeve and elongated scarf.”
Kamara added that, for him, Harris thrillingly embodied many of the themes that anchor “Superfine”: power, style, resilience. (Indeed, she is set to appear at another fundraiser in New York on Tuesday—this one for the Democratic National Committee.)
“The true core of dandyism is rooted in confidence and strength. There is no person who exemplifies these characteristics more than Kamala D. Harris, someone who has overcome adversity and continues to be a beacon for so many,” Kamara said. “This is such an important moment for me and the whole Off-White community.”
