‘I Wanted to Carry His Legacy’: La La Anthony’s 2025 Met Gala Look Is an Homage to Virgil Abloh
.jpg)
Last night, the 2025 Met Gala red carpet allowed celebrities to display thoughtful approaches to the Costume Institute exhibition theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” With an emphasis on the history of Black dandies and tailoring, this year’s affair celebrated the sartorial legacy and contributions of Black men, highlighting notable figures across fashion, culture, history, entertainment, politics, and more. To capture that spirit, La La Anthony—a Vogue livestream host this year—took the focus to heart by choosing an archival design by the late Virgil Abloh, who passed away in 2021. “Virgil was more than a designer,” Anthony tells Vogue. “He was a visionary, he was my friend, and someone who changed the entire game for so many of us. I wanted to carry his legacy with me throughout the evening to remind people of the doors he opened and the culture he built. It wasn’t just fashion: It was love, history, and respect wrapped up in a beautiful garment.”
The contemporary design—half tulle gown, half sleek jumpsuit—is an updated version of a look Abloh created for his fall 2020 Off-White collection. The actor and producer was instantly drawn to the original look’s bold silhouette, which was then refined to fit the tailoring theme and done in black and white. (The original featured camo trousers.) “What I loved most was that it was an archive design,” says Anthony. “It’s an actual piece of fashion history. The full-on gown, mixed with a sharp tailored pant, is a completely unexpected contrast that makes the look unforgettable. It’s glam but with edge—so me.”
When Anthony first put on the look, she instantly knew it was the one. “[I got] chills,” she says. “I looked in the mirror and felt a mix of strength, beauty, and gratitude. I felt proud—proud to represent, host, and show up in something that meant something. It was more than a look. It was a moment.”
Anthony is no stranger to the Met Gala, of course, having already attended the annual event 10 times. This year, though, she knew her look had to be especially strong. “The Met Gala is always the most special and meaningful evening, but this one felt more powerful and even more personal,” says Anthony. “Superfine is about more than looking fly. It’s about the history, the pride, the statement behind the ’fit. Black style has always set the tone, and to see tailoring and dandyism finally getting this kind of spotlight excites me. It’s honoring the roots of our elegance—how we’ve always turned fashion into resistance, into joy, into art.”
As a returning Vogue livestream host on the red carpet, Anthony says her favorite part of the event is interviewing all the guests and seeing them arrive in real time. “Seeing the looks up close, connecting with the designers and my friends as they step into that spotlight—the whole evening is such a thrill,” says Anthony. She adds that the intention and stories behind this year’s custom designs brought Met Gala dressing to a whole new level. “People showed up with real purpose and so much emotion behind their looks,” says Anthony. “It wasn’t just about looking cool or edgy or beautiful. It was about honoring legacies, telling stories through fashion, and claiming a rightful stake in the history of this art form. So much incredible energy—the room was electric.”
Below, see how Anthony got ready for the 2025 Met Gala.
Photo: Marco Bahler1/10
Photo: Marco Bahler2/10
