Ayo Edebiri’s 2025 Met Gala Look Is a Sweet (and Superslick) Ode to Her Dad
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This year may only mark Ayo Edebiri’s second time attending the Met Gala, but for the actor the 2025 theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” has already proven to be a personal favorite. “The most exciting thing for me was that so much sprung to mind,” says Edebiri. “There were so many different points of entry where I felt like I could connect. It feels incredibly stirring to me to be able to do that while celebrating Black art and Black history—past, present, and future.” As a fan of the annual Met Gala red carpet, the star also admits she was most excited to see how others would interpret the theme too. “I’m really excited to see the guys have to go hard,” she says.
To find a fitting look that embodied the spirit of last night, Edebiri looked to one of the most prolific designers working in tailoring right now: Maximilian Davis, the creative director of Ferragamo, who created the star’s wool-silk, floor-length shirtdress with glass beads and a leather tailcoat. The inspiration for the ensemble stemmed from conversations around Edebiri’s own background, particularly the style icons and dandies in her family. “I’m a Black American who’s half Bajan, half Nigerian, and grew up in church,” Edebiri tells Vogue. “I honestly think all of the men in my life are fashionable.” It was her dad, Dele, however, who emerged as her main fashion reference. “He’s one of the dandiest men I know, whether he’s power-clashing to go to the office or in traditional Edo clothes at the Emmys with me,” she says. “He got married to my mom in leather trousers and tuxedo tails, which is pretty iconic.”
When Davis heard Edebiri’s stories of the stylish dandies in her life, the designer immediately got to work, pulling visuals and crafting a slick look. “With Ayo, she had a very clear idea of what she wanted, and we both wanted to explore the idea of Black dandyism as a form of self-expression and empowerment,” says Davis. “It was about creating something that not only celebrates the theme but also celebrates Ayo’s individuality, her deep connection to her family, and her own modern take on that.” Together, they landed on a tailored look that evoked a sense of power and innovation. “It’s about celebrating the history of Black individuals using clothing to redefine themselves, push boundaries, and claim their space in the world,” Davis says. “The look is a conversation between classic tailoring and modern Black style, a nod to the past and a bold step into the future.”
The ensemble took several months to create, coming to life from a close collaboration between Davis, Edebiri, and her stylist, Danielle Goldberg. “I am particularly proud of the way we played with silhouette and proportion to create a look that is both classic and contemporary,” says Davis. “There is a focus on impeccable tailoring, luxurious fabrics, and subtle details that speak to the brand’s heritage—but with a modern twist that reflects the spirit of Black dandyism and Ayo’s family’s deep roots to Nigeria and the Caribbean.”
During the design process, the trio also zeroed in on special and personal elements to incorporate into the look, one significant detail being the use of glass beads—embellished throughout the suit—to imitate coral; the motif serves as an homage to the coral frequently found on traditional Nigerian outfits, often worn by her father. “When I showed Max pictures of my father and other Nigerian traditional outfits—male and female!—a huge component is coral,” says Edebiri. “It can be used for jewelry, headpieces, and canes and holds a lot of historical and cultural weight. Max designed this truly stunning plastron to evoke the coral and stitching on my dad’s boba, the top part of the traditional outfit, but it’s made entirely out of glass.”
The star’s choice of jewelry for the evening, meanwhile, was equally as thoughtful. Edebiri wore gold Cartier pieces, including a pocket watch from 1997 and a dog-shaped brooch from 1966 to tie back to the theme. “The Cartier pieces add such an element of charm and specificity to the look,” Edebiri says. “I feel like there’s a story I’ve been telling myself of West meets West Africa as the look has come together. The pocket watch is so dandy to me, and the brooch also moves because it’s a cute little dog!” When she put on the final look, Edebiri admits she felt just as dapper as her dad. “I felt like no one else could have designed it but [Max] and no one else could wear it but me—and that’s just the feeling of a lifetime,” she says.
