What You Might Have Missed From the 2025 Met Gala

Summary

Podcast Summary: "What You Might Have Missed From the 2025 Met Gala"

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Run-Through with Vogue
• Host/Author: Vogue
• Episode: What You Might Have Missed From the 2025 Met Gala
• Release Date: May 6, 2025

---

Introduction

In this episode of The Run-Through with Vogue, hosted by Vogue editors Chioma Nnadi and Chloe Malle, along with producers Arden Fanning Andrews and colleagues, listeners are taken deep into the glitz and glamour of the 2025 Met Gala. Titled "What You Might Have Missed From the 2025 Met Gala," the episode offers comprehensive coverage of the event, including red carpet highlights, emotional performances, and insightful discussions on the gala's theme of black dandyism.

Live Coverage from the Met Gala

Behind the Scenes in the War Room

The episode kicks off with Arden Fanning Andrews and the production team situated in Vogue’s "war room," a bustling hub filled with editors strategizing and monitoring the event in real-time. "Tonight we are celebrating the exhibition Superfine which is all about dandyism and tailoring through history," explains Emma Spector (00:54). The co-chairs—Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, and A$AP Rocky—are highlighted as key figures steering the night's festivities.

Red Carpet Highlights and Standout Looks

Listeners are treated to vivid descriptions of celebrity arrivals and fashion statements on the red carpet. Notable mentions include:

• Zendaya's Inspired Elegance:
  Taylor Anderson remarks, "Zendaya is walking like she's wearing such a slim silhouette," (03:31) drawing parallels to Bianca Jagger's iconic wedding suit.

• Bad Bunny’s Custom Prada Ensemble:
  Bad Bunny makes a striking appearance in a custom Prada suit featuring a unique raffia tie inspired by Puerto Rican millionaire De Leon. Arden enthuses, "Like, it's just such a Prada Puerto Rican look," (04:14) showcasing the fusion of cultural heritage and high fashion.

• Andre 3000’s Avant-Garde Appeal:
  The ever-innovative Andre 3000 surprises attendees with a piano strapped to his back, leaving the team puzzled about its symbolic meaning: "I don't know what the hidden message is," (04:36).

• Rihanna’s Grand Reveal:
  A pivotal moment occurs when Rihanna arrives fashionably late, stunning the crowd in a Marc Jacobs creation. Initially concealing her pregnancy, she ultimately reveals her graceful silhouette, prompting excitement and admiration.

Inside the Gala: Emotional Moments and Performances

Colman Domingo’s Moving Speech

A deeply emotional segment features Colman Domingo, who delivers a heartfelt speech about the men who influenced his style and identity. At 36:10, Kylie McGuigan shares, "Colman talked about his stepfather, who spent his life polishing floors and dressing up on Fridays... and his father, the epitome of a dandy in a butter yellow Cadillac." This narrative underscores the profound personal connections and the legacy of dandyism.

Pharrell Williams and Usher’s Performances

Pharrell Williams introduces the evening's performances, blending artistic flair with respectful homage to ancestral roots. Usher electrifies the room with his dynamic dance moves, prompting the entire audience to rise and revel in the moment. "Everybody was dancing. Everybody was, like, craning themselves to see," notes Kylie (24:22).

Stevie Wonder’s Surprise Appearance

The zenith of the evening is marked by Stevie Wonder's unexpected performance. His timeless presence brings a perfect close to an emotionally charged night, resonating deeply with attendees and viewers alike.

Spotlight on Black Dandyism

Defining Black Dandyism

A significant portion of the episode delves into the theme of black dandyism, exploring its historical roots and contemporary relevance. Kylie McGuigan articulates, "For me, a dandy is a person who uses clothing as a way to celebrate their individuality, celebrate their creativity, signal to the world that they have pride in themselves." (31:18) This discussion emphasizes how black dandyism serves as an act of resistance, self-love, and meticulous self-care within the fashion landscape.

Historical Context and Modern Interpretation

Listeners gain insight into how black dandyism has evolved, particularly its emergence from the slave trade era where black men integrated fashion as a form of joyful expression and defiance. The conversation highlights figures like Andre Leon Talley and Virgil Abloh, who embody the essence of black dandyism by effortlessly merging cultural heritage with avant-garde fashion.

Significance at the Met Gala

The hosts discuss how the Met Gala's focus on black dandyism not only celebrates individual flair but also challenges traditional fashion norms. "It's an act of self-care. It's like looking after yourself, looking after the details," Kylie emphasizes, underscoring the theme's depth and its impact on both creators and participants.

Remembering Andre Leon Talley

Tribute to a Fashion Icon

A poignant segment honors the late Andre Leon Talley, celebrated as a pivotal figure in fashion who embodied the spirit of joy, wonder, and meticulous craftsmanship. Kylie reflects, "Andre would have loved to have seen this night... He was the embodiment of the theme," (36:10) highlighting his influence and enduring legacy within the Met Gala and the broader fashion community.

Legacy and Influence

The hosts reminisce about Andre's unparalleled ability to blend academic prowess with fabulousness, making him a cherished mentor and inspiration. "He lived his life without need for validation. There was a richness. There was no one like him," Kylie shares, emphasizing his profound impact on shaping inclusive and expressive fashion narratives.

Personal Reflections from Hosts

Emotional and Sensory Overload

Throughout the episode, the hosts share their personal experiences and emotional responses to the gala. Emma Spector describes the event as a "sensory overload," recounting the overwhelming beauty and emotional weight felt while navigating the exhibition and performances.

Future Plans and After-Parties

As the night winds down, discussions shift to post-gala plans, outfit changes, and upcoming events. The camaraderie among the hosts is evident as they humorously discuss attending various after-parties and the anticipation of continuing the celebration beyond the Met Gala.

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with a reflection on the profound impact of the 2025 Met Gala, emphasizing its role in celebrating black dandyism and honoring fashion legends like Andre Leon Talley. The hosts express a sense of fulfillment and excitement for future events, leaving listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the night's highlights and the cultural significance behind the gala's themes.

---

Notable Quotes:

• "Zendaya is walking like she's wearing such a slim silhouette." — Taylor Anderson (03:31)
• "It's an act of self-care. It's like looking after yourself, looking after the details." — Kylie McGuigan (31:18)
• "He lived his life without need for validation. There was a richness. There was no one like him." — Kylie McGuigan (36:10)

---

This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of the The Run-Through with Vogue episode, providing listeners with a vivid portrayal of the 2025 Met Gala's most memorable moments, insightful discussions, and the enduring legacy of black dandyism in the fashion world.

Transcript

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

This episode of the run through is brought to you by ebay. I'm Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue's beauty editor at large. Everyone's talking about tassels right now. And that's the moment that I end up typing it into ebay. I found the perfect vintage triple chain belt with golden tassels. And it just looks so elegant, timeless. And it's on the way in the mail to me, thanks to ebay.

[Emma Spector]

Hi, I'm Emma Spector.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

My name is.

[Taylor Anderson]

My name is Taylor Anderson.

[Emma Spector]

I'm Kylie McGuigan.

[Taylor Anderson]

I'm Molly Barstein. This is Stephanie.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

And I'm Chelsea. And we are two producers behind the run through boots Vogue. Today we are live from the Met gala. It's so exciting to be here, right, Chelsea? It's so fun. There's a lot of high stakes things happening. People are running. There are guards everywhere. People are heading to the red carpet, about to photograph celebrities. It's going to be a really great time. Oh, my gosh.

[Taylor Anderson]

So great.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

And later on, Choma and Chloe are going to interview Janicza Bravo, which is going to be so good because they're.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Going to give us all the tea.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Of what's happening after the dinner and a performance. I'm so excited for that. Same here. And I'm especially excited for the special treat we have coming later on the show. Zach Stafford, one of the hosts of our favorite podcast Vibe check, came into the studio with on Friday to talk with Chioma all about this year's theme. They contextualized what it means to be a black dandy and gave a little forecast of what we might see tonight. So we can't wait to get into the episode. Yes. But first, let's go talk to some of our staffers.

[Emma Spector]

I'm Taylor Antrim. I'm deputy editor of Vogue. We are here in the war room.

[Kylie McGuigan]

We call it the war room, which.

[Emma Spector]

Is like a basement room of the metal.

[Kylie McGuigan]

And it's the night of the Met gala.

[Emma Spector]

Tonight we are celebrating the exhibition Superfine which is all about dandyism and tailoring through history. And the co chairs are really exciting. You've got Pharrell. You've got Colman Domingo, You've got Lewis Hamilton. And last but not least, A dollar AP Rocky.

[Molly Barstein]

Hi, I'm Hunter Abrams. I'm a photographer and this is my second Met gala. I mean, my dream guest was like Grace Jones or like RuPaul or like Janet Jackson.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

But I am really excited to see.

[Molly Barstein]

What our hosts wear.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I'm particularly excited for Coleman.

[Taylor Anderson]

I'm Hannah Jackson. I'm a fashion writer. I've heard a little bit about what Lewis Hamilton is gonna wear, so I'm very excited to see how it translates into real life based on what I've imagined just via email. Interviews.

[Emma Spector]

Uh oh.

[Taylor Anderson]

Insider info. Insider.

[Molly Barstein]

@Vogue.Com I'm Jamie Spence.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I'm the global visuals director.

[Molly Barstein]

I want to see Rihanna, Rihanna, and Rihanna.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Hi, I'm Florence. I'm the associate content manager of Vogue.com right now I am trying to get the sound turned on for the live stream in the war room so all the editors can watch and see what's happening. It's about to get really noisy in here.

[Molly Barstein]

That's two queens right there. Wait, there's a reveal.

[Taylor Anderson]

There's a reveal.

[Kylie McGuigan]

A brooch.

[Taylor Anderson]

It's a back brooch. It's a back brooch.

[Molly Barstein]

We are looking at Zendaya looking the best anyone's ever looked in a hat. Her Vuitton look is inspired by Bianca Jagger's wedding suit to Mick Jagger. But the gag is she is walking like she's wearing such a slim silhouette and it's such a polar opposite to the other OG diva, Diana Ross, who needs seven men to carry her up the stairs. This is what it's about.

[Emma Spector]

Honey.

[Kylie McGuigan]

You'Ve just caught me.

[Taylor Anderson]

I've lost my.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I can't breathe. Why? Tell me what you're seeing.

[Taylor Anderson]

I will know. Well, Bad Bunny, AKA Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, has just walked on the blue.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Carpet wearing an incredible custom Prada look.

[Taylor Anderson]

And he's wearing this, like, a pava.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Inspired hat by this Puerto Rican millionaire called De Leon.

[Taylor Anderson]

And then he has a tie that's.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Made of raffia that's also inspired by the fava.

[Taylor Anderson]

Like, it's just such a.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Like, I never thought that somebody could.

[Taylor Anderson]

Make Prada Puerto Rican.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

And then by Bunny did it.

[Kylie McGuigan]

And it's so good.

[Emma Spector]

Andre 3000 just popping up with a.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Piano on his back.

[Emma Spector]

I don't know what the hidden message.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Is, but he's trying to tell me.

[Emma Spector]

It looks heavy.

[Taylor Anderson]

Yeah, it looks mad heavy.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

You think?

[Emma Spector]

It's like.

[Kylie McGuigan]

And he has to go up the stairs.

[Taylor Anderson]

Oh, with the trash bag in his hand.

[Emma Spector]

Okay.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

That's a trash bag.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Chelsea and I are leaving the room to record.

[Kylie McGuigan]

So we're going to take a quick break. Then we'll be back with our interview with Janica.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

The other day, I, like, went on a real ebay spree. There's this huge push for, like, 80s opulence and 80s sort of glamour, and we're going to See that returning. And so I was already kind of tapped into that just from my gorgeous ebay watch list. And I found a really beautiful Chloe blazer from the 80s and a really great Miu Miu kilt, bees, great Dior boots. And I'm combining them all together. Sometimes trend forecasting doesn't require something that's going to be, like, produced in the future. Sometimes you can, like, tap into the past and tap into the archive as well. That's what makes ebay a fun place to actually discover things, because you're not going in with something so specific in mind, but you have an idea of what you're interested in or what you're excited about or, you know, just truly trend forecasting. And so one thing that I would say people should be watching out for is, like, very opulent, 80s style.

[Taylor Anderson]

So, guys, we are off the main Egyptian hallway that leads from the temple of Dendor back to the great hall where everyone was exiting. I felt like a salmon swimming upstream coming from the basement up to meet Choma, Nadi and Janiksa Bravo. Who were coming out of dinner and the performance. And Janicza is catching up on all the looks that she didn't see on the red carpet. Choma, you. You saw a lot of people, right?

[Kylie McGuigan]

I did, I did. But give me a second. I'm still floating from the. From basically Stevie Wonder performing. I'm just Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder.

[Emma Spector]

Stevie Wonder. I feel like those are the only words. Isn't that what Michael Kors said?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yes.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I was looking at. I was like, there's nothing else to say.

[Emma Spector]

It's that. That's the full sentence.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I compliment Michael on the look that he created for Suki, and he was just like.

[Emma Spector]

He wasn't having it. He was like, ma'am, that's the only thought.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah. He was like, no, nothing else matters. But yes, the looks. I did see many looks. And I love that Rihanna was a late entry because everybody is waiting for her.

[Taylor Anderson]

I mean, late is the understatement. My lord. They were trying to close the red carpet.

[Emma Spector]

What time.

[Kylie McGuigan]

What time did she arrive?

[Taylor Anderson]

She arrived at, like, 9:40.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Okay.

[Taylor Anderson]

And she wanted Rocky to come out and pose with her on the red carpet. And the feedback from inside. Yes, exactly. The feedback from inside was that Rocky was about to give remarks and so he could not come outside. So there's a whole standoff. But she looked fabulous.

[Kylie McGuigan]

She looked fabulous. Was it Tom Brown?

[Taylor Anderson]

No, it was Marc Jacobs.

[Kylie McGuigan]

It was Marc Jacobs.

[Emma Spector]

I know. I thought it was Tom Brown at first, too.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Right? But it was. I mean, she just looked divine. And I love that that was her reveal. I think many of us suspected that she may have been with child. Oh, my God.

[Taylor Anderson]

I didn't suspect. And I would have appre. And I went up to do Best Dress.

[Kylie McGuigan]

It was all over the Internet.

[Taylor Anderson]

Well, I didn't see it. And I went out to do Best dressed with Anna during cocktails, and she's like, you know, I knew last night at my dinner that Rihanna was pregnant. I was like, you have helped. Helped a friend out here and given my little girl.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I saw her in the Prada. She went to the. Obviously they do the prima event for the host with the host.

[Taylor Anderson]

Well, I didn't see that, but she didn't look pregnant. I know, but then she did when she left the Carlisle or the mark today.

[Kylie McGuigan]

She concealed that bump.

[Taylor Anderson]

Yesterday, it's quite a bump.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yesterday it didn't look like a bump. Maybe it was just a good angle. I mean, Houdini.

[Taylor Anderson]

I can tell you what I saw on the red carpet from the livestream, but I want to know who you guys loved in person, in cocktails and at dinner. What outfits moved you?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Well, I have to just say Janikxa's outfit is insane.

[Taylor Anderson]

We've been talking about this in our office. It's one of the most thoughtful outfits I've ever had.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Can you tell us a little bit about the story behind it? Because I love the story behind it.

[Emma Spector]

So I came with Tory Burch, and when I was invited, I was told that the collaboration was going to be between her and Rashid Johnson, which I didn't really know what that meant or what it would look like. And from the first conversation we had, we were syncopated. I brought a couple of images to our first exchange. She brought a couple of images. Rashid brought a few of his paintings, and. And we were, like, all in step. It was super unusual because we had no history together. Jeremy Oharas set us up ultimately.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Right.

[Taylor Anderson]

He, like, he's such a good matchmaker. What did you call in your piece? He's like a social Dima doula.

[Emma Spector]

Social doula. I love that. Social midwife.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Well, fun fact. I suggested you to Francis first.

[Emma Spector]

Oh, you did? Okay. Okay.

[Taylor Anderson]

Well, thank you, Frances, who is Tory Burch's pr.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Yes.

[Emma Spector]

And, yeah, it was really one of the most special experiences I've ever had. Process is really important to me as a maker. The rehearsal, the behind the scenes. And I feel this outfit is very much a celebration of process. Right. Like the beginning, middle, and end. All the hands and, like, minds and ideating that go into making the thing. And I feel very much like I'm carrying all of those artisans with me.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah. And if you look right now, I know you guys can't see this, but Janicza has the coolest bag that's just sitting on the. On this desk that has a kind of very. If you've been to see Risee Johnson's amazing retrospective at the Guggenheim, you will recognize the reference. And it's a beaded version of one of his paintings. The edges and her entire jacket is covered in a similar motif, but it's with a raised. Is it silicone or.

[Emma Spector]

It's all tactile embroidery and sequins.

[Kylie McGuigan]

It's incredible.

[Emma Spector]

All done by hands. It feels good, too. I mean, the corset's killing me. Oh, I'm sure it's my first time wearing a corset. And perhaps the last. You're like, yeah, and perhaps the last. It felt heroic about three hours ago, and now it's starting to feel mean.

[Taylor Anderson]

I also want to say that I thought that Cy Gavin, who's the artist who helped design the decor, did such a spectacular job. It was so magical. The Great hall centerpiece. And the minute I saw pictures of the red carpet, I thought it was going to be some, like, pinstriping or nod to tailoring. And it was dotted with daffodils, which are some of my favorite flowers. And then the center, the Great hall centerpiece was. It looked like floating daffodils. Little Narcissus, which apparently Sy Gavin was inspired by the myth of Narcissus, which, in addition to inspiring the word narcissism, was also about the moment when Narcissus saw himself for the first time. And I thought that was very moving and beautiful and such an original interpretation of what could, in another event, just be a red carpet.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah. And that was beautiful. It was beautiful to walk in. The blue collar was so special.

[Emma Spector]

I mean, I felt matched to it. I was like, oh, I did it right. You did. It's for you.

[Taylor Anderson]

You did.

[Emma Spector]

Oh, this is for me.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I've been down to the nails. You guys can't see Janix's nails, but they are incredible.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah, the nails are good. UK based artist, actually.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Amazing.

[Emma Spector]

Her name is Yan. She goes by Yon, paints nails. She's in Manchester. When I was filming there, I met her, and she'd never done them at gala, and I invited her, and she did my nails and Tessa's and Jeremy's.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

Wow.

[Kylie McGuigan]

So they're almost like miniature portraits on each nail.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah. Each hand painted.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Wow. They're fantastic. I mean, aside from your amazing look, who did you like?

[Emma Spector]

Oh, my gosh. Jeez. There were so many things. I love Jeremy's pants. I want to wear them now. I'd like them to be made for me, stat.

[Taylor Anderson]

Jeremy Oharis wore an amazing Belma look that really channeled a 19th century.

[Emma Spector]

It's very much pulled from the exhibit, the reference. I also really loved Pamela Anderson.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I know.

[Emma Spector]

I think. I know. We were sitting with her, so maybe that's cheating. We're Bing. But I just thought that the cut of that dress, the neck, the bosom.

[Kylie McGuigan]

And a haircut with it. There was some good hair on Stew.

[Emma Spector]

There was also just a lot of good bosom tonight.

[Taylor Anderson]

Oh, we did a piece on that. Boobs are bad.

[Emma Spector]

Really?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Sydney Sweeney was like, well, her boobs.

[Taylor Anderson]

Have always been here.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yes.

[Taylor Anderson]

Boobs are back tonight on the red carpet.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah.

[Taylor Anderson]

Boobs are back.

[Emma Spector]

Boobs are back. Tits are in. You guys. Gosh, what else?

[Kylie McGuigan]

I know. I saw Doja Cat, and I was very tempted to. Well, we were both like. She was like, yeah, no, everyone's been doing it all night. She had these pointy. She also wore Marc Jacobs. She was wearing this. I guess it was like, almost like a leotard that was tailored in the top and had a leopard print running down the front. And she had amazing hair. Amazing hair.

[Emma Spector]

Oh, Tracee Ellis Ross.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah. Tracy Ellis.

[Emma Spector]

But always, always.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Well, hello.

[Taylor Anderson]

Her mother.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Oh, my goodness. How did we not talk about Diana Ross?

[Emma Spector]

Yeah. Mm.

[Taylor Anderson]

Diana had all of her. Hannah, we're on first name basis.

[Emma Spector]

Oh, you're close.

[Taylor Anderson]

You were very close. She had all of her children and grandchildren's names embroidered in the cape of her dress. Cape train, whatever it is. It was feathered around the edges. And Sergio, our talent person. Talent maestro, said that he had to get eight people to be carrying it and fanning it out. And she just. She really arrived like the diva that she is.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Wow. I think she changed when she got in because she was wearing something different.

[Taylor Anderson]

She changed into a dress that she wore to the Met Gala 30 years ago.

[Kylie McGuigan]

She fits in it.

[Taylor Anderson]

Yeah, I asked the same question. It's a flowy silhouette.

[Emma Spector]

Wow.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah.

[Emma Spector]

I want to see the side effects.

[Kylie McGuigan]

That's incredible. And speaking of Diana Ross, I do think. And I mean, actually, you pointed this out, but I do think that Zendaya had a Diana Ross kind of out of mahogany moment in that white tuxedo. Was it Wells Bonner? What was it?

[Taylor Anderson]

No, it was custom Vuitton. It was channeling Bianca Jagger.

[Emma Spector]

Oh, it's kind of like a Bianca Jagger. I felt mahogany. I also was thinking of that Berkeley Hendrix painting. Yeah, I thought that was really stunning.

[Taylor Anderson]

There were a lot of white suits with some. A variety of references. Like, I feel like Madonna's Tom Ford was more of a Dietrich vibe.

[Emma Spector]

I will say in a. What I expected to be is sort of like the potential for there to be a sea of monotonous black and white. It still felt quite varied and quite personal. And so many people looked like themselves in hyperbole. You know, they didn't seem like they had strayed too far into Halloween, though. I'm, like, very into Halloween. I do believe this is fashion Halloween. But it still felt like people were themselves, you know, for sure.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I actually. Speaking of black and white, I did love how all the hosts coordinated in black and white. And it was wonderful seeing them on stage when they were giving their remarks, because you could just see each had their own interpretation of that monochromatic palette in their own way. You had our beloved Colman Domingo, who had an incredible Valentino checkerboard look on with its massive embroidered flower. Then you had Pharrell, who designed his own outfit, obviously, as the creative director of Wu Ton, with a pearlized blazer, which was incredible. And I managed to sort of get in really close.

[Emma Spector]

Cause the details here, I ran my hand on it.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I ran my hand on it, too.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah, it felt really good.

[Kylie McGuigan]

It felt really good. And then there was A$AP Rocky, who looked incredible in a much more kind of modern interpretation of a suit. He wore Custom Org, which is his brand, that he recently launched with a Runway show a couple of seasons ago. And then there was Lewis Hamilton, who, as a Brit, represented the Brits with Grace Wells Bonner. And Grace Wells Bonner looked incredible tonight.

[Emma Spector]

I didn't see Grace, but I love Tyler Mitchell, so I want to acknowledge that I thought when Tyler Mitchell, she.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Was well represented in the room. I felt like it was very beautiful.

[Emma Spector]

And Keith Powers, I don't know him, but he was one of my favorite looks.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yes. What was the brand he was wearing?

[Taylor Anderson]

I don't know. But all of us downstairs were swooning over him.

[Emma Spector]

I was like, you see a look in your face, and I'd like to be wearing that also. That was one of the ones I was like. And that for me as well.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah, he was incredible.

[Taylor Anderson]

There was also a Paris Opera ballet star, Guillaume Diop, who Valentino brought. And he was wearing the most gorgeous, embellished like, taffeta opera cape. It was so old school, Andre. I loved it. He looked so handsome. Lauryn Hill was very exciting.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I did not see that.

[Emma Spector]

Oh, my God. Completely missed.

[Taylor Anderson]

Lauryn Hill was there in a crazy hat.

[Kylie McGuigan]

She.

[Taylor Anderson]

A hat that looked like the sun. And she was in this pale yellow. And then she. We were all tapping away in the war room in the basement, and suddenly this sort of ray of sunlight wafted through, and it was just Lauryn Hill exiting the building through the basement.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Oh, my goodness.

[Emma Spector]

She's like, I did that.

[Kylie McGuigan]

So she. She came in and then left.

[Taylor Anderson]

She left.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Wow. I guess maybe she have a picture.

[Taylor Anderson]

Of Kiana, like, completely shocked with just the movement of Lauryn Hill behind her. Kiana was like, that might be my.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Favorite story of the night.

[Emma Spector]

I.

[Taylor Anderson]

It was amazing. Well, I had a great experience because I usually go up to cocktails and get the best dress list approved by Anna so we can get it up quickly. And we were standing sort of behind, like, in a little corner, and Rocky and Lewis Hamilton came out of the elevator. And Anna goes, come over here. You saw everyone in the receiving line. Who did you think was best dressed?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Oh, my gosh.

[Taylor Anderson]

And Rocky immediately said, me, just. And looked almost confused, like, why? What's the discussion?

[Emma Spector]

And I can't wait to walk away and download all of this. I just am like, I need to.

[Taylor Anderson]

Like, just absorb it all.

[Emma Spector]

Well, I think I just need to really sit with the outfits.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Right.

[Emma Spector]

You're in the room, but you don't. It's actually kind of overwhelming. And I thought that the exhibit was also really emotional and really special. And I was feeling sort of vulnerable after having seen it. So I felt like it's a sensory overload. It took a beat to land, and then Stevie Wonder happens. So then there's also just like back to being kind of high. Right. It's sort of an out of body experience, I would say.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Totally. Totally. It was really. It was really special.

[Emma Spector]

So I felt with the exhibit. So there's this idea of seeing yourself and what seeing yourself does for you. I think I have grown accustomed to not seeing myself, but being able to see myself. Meaning not seeing myself in a literal way, but seeing myself in feelings and in tones and moods and colors and so on. And I had this kind of like, slightly out of body experience because I was looking at these images and seeing myself, I guess. Right. Or like, it felt like I've had so few instances of feeling like I'm in the majority. And that room made me feel like I was having this Feeling of being in the majority. And that felt like a real. A real charge and a charge that's not that I'm not used to. Right. So it felt slightly absurd, slightly surreal. I also think that I felt I was having the feeling of grieving. Grieving this promise of what could have been. Right. Like if I'm just speaking to politic and where I am feeling a kind of like unrest globally and this very loud kind of anxiety. And so as I walked through the room, I felt. Yeah, a grieving of promise. Of a promise.

[Kylie McGuigan]

No, I totally agree with you. I think this morning was quite emotional because Colman Domingo gave a really moving speech for the preview and he described how the three men his life had influenced his style. And I was actually moved to tears by the stories that he told. He talked about his stepfather, he talked about who had spent his whole life in polishing floors and had this every Friday night would dress up and leave his kind of carpenter work clothes behind. And he described like what it was like to see him and his mother go out and be totally transformed and how wonderful they would look. And then how his father came into his life who was sounded like the definition of a dandy, showed up in a whirlwind, dressed in the most incredible clothes in a butter yellow Cadillac and just was the coolest man he'd ever seen. And then he sort of passed the mic to Monica Miller and she became very emotional because she was also talking about her parents and about how they weren't dandies, but they were always well put together and how important that was. And this thread of like ancestors and people paying respect to their ancestors and it was something that the four hosts did in their remarks was really powerful. And honestly, there were moments when people were moved because there were people in the room that should have been there, like Andre Leon Talley, like Virgil Abloh. I was with Gigi Hadid walking through the exhibit and she started to cry when she was very close to Virgil. And Virgil was extremely generous, but he had a circle of closer friends. He was extremely generous of everybody and everybody he met anybody. He left an impression. He was one of those people. And she was just like, I just feel like he's here. And she started crying. So it was quite an emotional evening. More emotional, I think for many different people, for many different reasons. Yeah, it was quite an interesting, very moving experience.

[Emma Spector]

It was so full of feeling.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah, it was full of feeling. Exactly. That was full of feeling.

[Taylor Anderson]

How were the remarks inside the gala?

[Kylie McGuigan]

They were great. They were great. A$AP is just the funniest guy alive and always brings a joke to the proceedings. And Pharrell was obviously really excited to be able to introduce everybody to the performance, but also to pay respects, as he said, to his ancestors. And then Colman also did the same, and he began to sort of. He was part of the performance. He sort of kicked off everything and began reading poetry. And it was very, very theatrical. It was very theatrical.

[Emma Spector]

Like it was a piece of theater.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I mean, it did, didn't it?

[Emma Spector]

From the moment that the four of them were on stage, I would say, until we walked out of that room, it was great theater.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah, yeah. And then Usher obviously came into the room. Killed it, killed it.

[Emma Spector]

And people.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Everybody got up. And I will say that I've seen a few performances here at the Met, but not every performance gets them the entire room to their feet. And the minute that Usher walked in dancing, everybody was dancing. Everybody was, like, craning themselves to see, standing very close to Vera Wang, and she was literally throwing shapes. It was like I couldn't see for her arms flying everywhere. She was like, literally. Her and Keke Palmer were just kind of rock. It was quite impressive. And then I think nobody anticipated that Usher would be followed because Usher was in the room. Asha had come in. Usher said hello to everybody. It was very like, you know, he's a wonderful. He's a great guy. He's been on the podcast. He loves everyone. He knows everyone. He makes everybody feel comfortable. So I think people weren't so surprised because he was there. But then Stevie, I think people were, like, really surprised because, I mean, I.

[Emma Spector]

Heard the whiskey, but I didn't believe it.

[Taylor Anderson]

Janiksa, tell us your itinerary for the evening.

[Emma Spector]

Well, we're really behind.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Right?

[Emma Spector]

Like, the night is totally behind. Right. There are after parties that started at. And it's 11:30 and we just left. So we've got catching up to do. We have some catching up to do. I also have a look change. I'm in a long distance relationship. My partner's here, so I, like, want to go to the room and have him help me get out of my corset. I'm not helping him out of his corset. He's helping me out of mine. But I think the plan initially was Cartier GQ than my own party.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yes.

[Emma Spector]

Or maybe Pharrell's than my own. But now that I'm looking at the time, I was like, I think I'm just going to my own party. I think I'm going to my own Party. My niece is gonna DJ for the first hour. Oh, that's.

[Taylor Anderson]

Oh, that's exciting.

[Emma Spector]

So I, like, kind of feel like I gotta go see my niece, you know? DJ niece.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Amazing.

[Emma Spector]

This is maybe the first case of a DJ that has arrived somewhere through nepotism and it's vibes.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I love that. And you.

[Taylor Anderson]

Yes. Drama. What's your sketch?

[Emma Spector]

What are we doing?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Well, it was going to be similar to yours, but I don't know if I'm gonna make it to Cartier. I might start a boom boom where Burna boy is hosting a party, and then I want to go to gq, and then I'm gonna head downtown, end up at yours. Great. And maybe Pharrell's, but I think that one seems like it's very late.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Pharrell is having an uno game party.

[Emma Spector]

Which I'm also like, are we playing games?

[Kylie McGuigan]

I think he's quite serious about it. I don't think he would.

[Emma Spector]

So it's competitive.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Emma Spector]

So it could be a night.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah.

[Emma Spector]

Are you doing an outfit change?

[Kylie McGuigan]

No.

[Emma Spector]

Smart.

[Taylor Anderson]

No. Choma never does an outfit change, which I really respect. Choma is all about comfort.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Cookie.

[Molly Barstein]

Yeah.

[Taylor Anderson]

I'm like, it's not about me.

[Kylie McGuigan]

This night is not about me. I mean, I feel fabulous, and I'm really thankful to Martin Rose, but I feel like it's not. This night isn't about me. So I get to wear the same thing. And I love. I would wear this. I hope to wear this suit many, many times.

[Emma Spector]

I hope you do too.

[Taylor Anderson]

It's.

[Emma Spector]

And if you want to lend it to someone. Thank you. You're welcome to lend it to me.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Sure. Anytime. Anytime. When you're over in the uk.

[Emma Spector]

Great.

[Kylie McGuigan]

It's yours. Thank you, Janicza. So I'd love to know what you've been working on. I know I had the pleasure of seeing you in London recently. Tell me what's been going on and what we can look forward to.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah. So when last I saw you, the show that I'd made for the BBC had just come out, which is called the Listeners. And I've been back home now for about six, seven months, and I've been writing. I've got a lot of things in development, but I feel I want to work on a film next. And I've got something in mind, something that's set up, but I want to feel a little better about where the script is at. Okay. I'm close, though.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Watch the space.

[Emma Spector]

Yeah, Watch the space. It's coming soon.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Amazing. Amazing. Thank you. So much for taking the time.

[Emma Spector]

Thank you, thank you. Thank you for having me.

[Kylie McGuigan]

So, coming up next, my conversation with the lovely Zach Stafford on his podcast Vibe Check.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

I like ebay for one of a kind items, things that feel limited edition or collections that can't be found in stores. And with the ebay authenticity guarantee, I know that when it arrives, it's real. It is a piece that is coming from the designer's collection, the designer's archive. One of the biggest conversation points for some of the parties that I'll go to during Fashion Week are the pieces that I'm getting off of ebay. Everyone's a little bit intrigued and excited whenever they hear that you were able to find something on this digital treasure hunt.

[Molly Barstein]

So we love to begin our shows with asking, what's your vibe? So it's Met Gala weekend. We're talking Friday before. I'm gonna see you on the red carpet on Monday.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah.

[Molly Barstein]

What's your vibe? Are you okay?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Low key? A little dysregulated.

[Molly Barstein]

How so?

[Kylie McGuigan]

You know, I'm quite like. I think I give the impression of being very laid back. Everyone's like, oh, so laid back. So laid back. But there's like a. It's like a storm underneath, really.

[Molly Barstein]

A quiet hurricane.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Exactly so. But I think there's like this, like, nervous excitement, too, and anticipation. And this met feels like it's coming at the right time. It feels like it's going to be a kind of a moment of joy in a time when we all feel a little bit exhausted. Exhausted.

[Molly Barstein]

Exhausted and lacking joy.

[Kylie McGuigan]

And lacking joy. And it's a conversation that I think we've all been having. We meet often, all of the different vogue additions in different countries for a lot of the sort of global audience dandism. And the theme, and especially black dandyism is something that they're not familiar with.

[Molly Barstein]

Yeah, yeah. But I'm sure they can see it when they see it.

[Kylie McGuigan]

They know what it is when they see it. And I think it's. And I think it's even hard for people who are familiar to describe it.

[Molly Barstein]

Well, can we get some definitions? Yeah, Because I think you're exactly right. Because people, even my partner was like, what is dandyism? And then I showed him examples, and he goes, oh, that's right. Yes, of course, of course, of course. You know, people think of dandies as, you know, an 18th century figure of maybe a white person. I'm thinking a lot about the writer Oscar Wilde. But at the same time, we see the emergence of the black dandy out of the slave trade. So we have this kind of intertwined. As men's fashion became this kind of joyful expression, black men also became entangled in it. But can we get some, like, basic definitions? What is a dandy and how do you see it? Because your work has been part of that history making song. Like I think about your Erykah Badu cover. Oh, yeah, like that. She is my dandy in that way.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah, yeah. I love that you sort of. I think it's kind of nice to put it in a sort of genderless context too, because for me, a dandy is a person who uses clothing as a way to celebrate their individuality, celebrate their creativity, signal to the world that they have pride in themselves. And I think at this moment, especially in the context of black dandyism, that's a real act of resistance and defiance. And it's also an act of self love. It's an act of self care. It's like looking after yourself, looking after the details, I think is specifically so important to the black dandies. And Erica, like we accessories, we're thinking about accessories and how accessories are talisman. They're about protecting yourselves. They're about the attention to detail. I was watching sinners and I thought about the two twins and about how even their presentation, the sort of three piece suit, the gold teeth, the parting in the hair, it was like. I think it was very intentional.

[Molly Barstein]

It was very. There was care being done.

[Kylie McGuigan]

There was care being done. And obviously Ruth Carter, the very iconic costume designer, did that. And I know she had those themes in her mind when she was dressing those characters. So we see the black dandy everywhere. We see dandyism everywhere in many forms. And it's existed for such a long time. When you think about Colman Domingo, for me, he embodies the modern black dandy. Like he is that in his way, in the way he moves through the world. Because I don't think it's just like the clothes, it's an attitude, it's an approach to the world. It's an invitation to take up space, to be joyful, to sort of bring joy to every facet of life. And I think he just does that.

[Molly Barstein]

He does that so, so well. And I love that you brought up public space because for me, that's what defines a dandy. It's someone that's saying, hey, I'm about to go out to a world that is a white supremacist, patriarchal society that has never really welcomed me. And not only am I gonna walk through that world. But I'm gonna take up a lot of space and draw attention to myself. I'm also gonna have pride in that. And within all of that is also pleasure as well. Like when they're wearing fine fabrics, when they're wearing silks, when they're wearing a beautiful shoe, that's pleasure. And we, as black people, historically, have never been given access to pleasure. So for me, it's always a demand for the pleasure in public, which I think is really radical. And something Monica Miller said in an interview I recently listened to. She was kind of breaking it all down of why this is such a radical act. And she said, you know, consider the fact that black peoples were kidnapped from Africa, dispersed all around the world through the diaspora, and given clothing that they did not know what it was. And in that moment, they said, I'm gonna make this mine. How do you think about that as a fashion editor when you're taking garments and putting them on people like Erykah Badu and so many other celebrities? How are you thinking about their blackness within the context of some of these houses that are, like, maybe not making these for bodies like Erica's?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Yeah, it's so true. I think, you know, Erica's such a great example because she has always created her own space aside. She never really courted the high fashion gaze. She never really. She created her own language. And I think that's so important. So when you invite, like, Erica into a fashion space, she has to be leading it. It has to feel so authentic to her. It can't be the fact that we're. Cause I think perhaps in days gone by, there was an idea that you vogify someone, that you give them their vogue moment. But it's very much about creating a character for them within the vogue world. And I think with Erica, that's not something that you can do. You need to bring. She has to sort of expand herself within the world of Vogue. And that was what was quite powerful about that cover story. And I think that's what's so. That's so beautiful about dandyism and black dandyism. It's like you don't need recognition from anyone else. You're drawing attention to yourself.

[Molly Barstein]

Yes. Oh, I love that so much because so many of the dandies I know throughout my life, whether it was my father going to church on Sundays or, you know, Andre 3000 when I was growing up in the south, and he created a new way of thinking of rap.

[Kylie McGuigan]

I mean, he's one of my favorite dandies of all time.

[Molly Barstein]

Is that what I saw in those moments was someone saying, sure, thank you for celebrity, thank you for fame, thank you for wealth. But I already found myself. Like, this thing is not gonna define me. I already defined myself, and now this is just a cherry on top of all of that. And I think that's what makes this Met Gala theme so exciting for black people is, you know, to speak frankly, we weren't just sitting around waiting for this. We had already found ways of being and showing up to the gala every year and taking up space. Some of the most famous people to walk the carpet have been black people. I know we only have a few more minutes left, but something I have to talk to you about, because we both. You're an editor. I've been an editor. And the editor that had really inspired me as a young black man in America was Andre Leon Talley, who, sadly, is no longer with us. How are you thinking about his own legacy, and what do you think this moment means for someone like him who's become so symbolic in fashion as someone who persevered and who demanded a seat at the table, but also created more seats for folks like us?

[Kylie McGuigan]

Andre would have loved to have seen this night. I can't imagine how excited he would have been, because he was every single Met Gala. He was at the top of the stairs entertaining people, really bringing joy to the red carpet. And he just was the embodiment of the theme. He really was the embodiment of the theme. And all of my experiences with Andre were one of delight and wonder. And I think that's something that some of us forget, that there was a constant joy and wonder and delight in newness, in fashion, in expressing oneself. And he had that sort of energy, and I think Virgil had that, too. A delight and wonder. And his clothes are in the exhibit, too. And I think he would have been so excited and proud to see his work there. He touched so many people. He lived his life without need for validation. For anyone else, he lived to fullest. There was a richness. There was no one like him. I remember him saying, well, you have to do your research. Like, he was always. It wasn't. I think people think of him as this fabulous creature who sort of. Sort of drifted through the world. But he was very, like, hardworking, very academic. Very academic. His knowledge. And I remember when he would write thick pieces, it would just be, like, within hours, he could write something beautiful, meaningful, that sort of connected with the moment. And it feels like he was so ahead of his time.

[Molly Barstein]

Thank you so much. For joining us today.

[Kylie McGuigan]

You're welcome.

[Molly Barstein]

This has been fantastic.

[Kylie McGuigan]

Same, really fun. I'm so glad we did this.

[Molly Barstein]

Me too.

[Arden Fanning Andrews]

The other day, I, like, went on a real ebay spree. There's this huge push for like, 80s opulence and 80s sort of glamour, and we're going to see that returning. And so I was already kind of tapped into that just from my gorgeous ebay watch list. And I found a really beautiful clothes blazer from the 80s and a really great Miu Miu kilt, these great dior boots. And I'm combining them all together. Sometimes trend forecasting doesn't require something that's going to be, like, produced in the future. Sometimes you can, like, tap into the past and tap into the archive as well. That's what makes ebay a fun place to actually discover things, because you're not going in with something so specific in mind, but you have an idea of what you're interested in or what you're excited about or, you know, just truly trend forecasting. And so one thing that I would say people should be watching out for is, like, very opulent 80s style.

[Emma Spector]

From PRX.