Vice President Kamala Harris made a quiet yet powerful statement at the 2025 Met Gala, arriving in a custom “Off-White” look designed by IB Kamara. The theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” was met with a gown that blended precision, softness, and strength, much like Harris herself. (Click here to see the outfit!)
“To me, the true core of dandyism is rooted in confidence and strength,” Kamara said in a statement to theGrio. “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.”
Stepping onto the carpet with her husband Doug Emhoff, Harris’ look was reportedly inspired by the simple elegance of dandyism, which the designer believes is “showing up as your best self without the need to be flashy or overworked.” While the 92% fell in love with Vice President Harris’ silk presses and iconic pant suits, tonight Harris adorned a gown crafted from rich cady silks in a classic black-and-white palette. Exuding a quiet confidence, the gown also exemplifies dandyism through its dramatic sleeves and elongated scarf.
Ahead of this pivotal moment for Black fashion, Harris thought back to the Black men from her childhood who not only shaped her upbringing but also served as some of her first fashion influences. Referring to them as her family by love,” she specifically recalls Uncle Freddy, who worked at the Studio Museum in Harlem; Uncle Sherman; and Henry Ramsey. These were the original dandies in her life, and their legacy walked with her.
“Harlem was always a magical place for me,” Vice President Harris said, explaining how Uncle Freddy and his neighbors’ incredible style, confidence and swagger inspired her as a child.
Just as Harris was draped in Black-owned designs, her husband, Emhoff, wore a suit by Brunello Cucinelli and a boutonniere by Black-owned New York City florist Oat Cinnamon Studio. After nearly becoming the first Black woman to ascend to the highest office in the land, Harris’ debut at the biggest night in fashion in Black-owned garbs feels like a radical act of dandyism.
Because sometimes the most radical thing you can do is show up as your truest, most beautifully tailored self.
