Hudson transformed 15 custom looks into a brilliant showcase of Black creativity and cultural mastery.
By: Dawn Montgomery
This year’s MET Gala was for us—for the culture—and a powerful moment for Black fashion designers to shine. Every year, the first Monday in May brings chaos, glamor, and a flurry of looks that flood our timelines. We all turn into judges, weighing in from our couches, revering the creativity that takes center stage on the red—or, in this case, blue—carpet.
The 2025 theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” celebrated Black Dandyism and was inspired by the work of Monica Miller, professor and chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, and her book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. This theme invited attendees to reimagine how they see themselves and to honor our legacy in fashion history.
And no one met the moment like Sergio Hudson.
The Ridgeway, South Carolina-born designer and a lean team that understands every stitch is a statement dressed over 15 attendees for this year’s gala. Each look was a masterpiece of intention and identity. The design sketches provided us with early glimpses, but witnessing them come to life on the carpet was unforgettable.
Fashion stylist Trenez Scott, originally from Farmhaven, Mississippi, put it best: “I call this Sergio Hudson’s MET Gala 2025. With over 15 looks curated for this historic moment, it’s an experience I’ll treasure for years to come. Though we’re a small team, our impact is undeniable—proving that anything is possible with belief in your gift and relentless persistence.”
As Black creatives, we’ve long believed in our gifts, even while navigating limited resources and industry gatekeeping. Hudson’s rise has always illuminated the inequalities embedded in the world of fashion. And yet, it took one monumental event—the MET Gala—for fashion’s elite to give him a pound or his proper due.
Hudson and his team made sure every person they dressed received the same level of care and attention to detail. If I had to grade the execution, it would be an easy A+.
The effort, strategy, time, and Blackness—the precision of staying on theme while dressing over a dozen people—says everything about the Sergio Hudson Collection and how they stepped up and showed out.
“My mother, she always wore a suit. Hudson once told the Free Times that she consistently wore “a man’s shirt and a pencil skirt.” “That’s how I define who the Sergio Hudson woman was. So when you see my shows, and you see the women in these really tailored suits … I know my clients feel very empowered.”
And it wasn’t just Black women he dressed. Several white women also trusted his vision. That speaks volumes—about his reach, his artistry, and how he designs with every woman in mind. His New York Fashion Week shows have always reflected that ethos: the Sergio Hudson woman is every woman.
To see that level of inclusivity on the MET Gala carpet—during a night themed around Black expression—was profound. There’s a way to showcase Black creativity without diluting it or appropriating it.
The Looks:
What we saw on that blue carpet was storytelling—through stitch and silhouette. Nothing about these looks was random. Hudson made sure each one said something. Every look had weight.
It was pure joy to witness this celebration of Black excellence and fashion on such a major stage. We need more moments like this, especially in a climate where DEI initiatives are being brazenly dismantled and support for Black creatives is shrinking.
But let this serve as a reminder: when we are platformed, we deliver. We show up. We shine. You can’t deny us. And when you try? We find another way to break through.
Some of the MET Gala attendees, who were dressed in custom looks from Sergio Hudson
