“Gorgeous but where’s the theme!?” one viewer wrote, echoing dozens of comments criticizing Gigi Hadid’s radiant gold getup at the 2025 Met Gala.
Stunning onlookers with a classy Miu Miu gown, the model caused confusion among a large number of netizens who, unaware of the deeper meaning behind her choice of dress, labeled her look as looking “like something one would wear to a prom.”
In reality, Hadid’s appearance was a meticulously thought-out homage to an actress considered by many as one of the most important Black fashion and entertainment icons of the 20th century—even if the reference flew over the heads of many viewers.
Far from what her critics thought, her dress perfectly aligned with the night’s theme, which focuses on the contributions of Black designers and their particular style.
Netizens criticized Gigi Hadid’s 2025 Met Gala gown, unaware of the deeper meaning behind it
The 2025 Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City today (May 5), followed a theme dubbed Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.
Inspired by the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition of the same name, the event was curated to celebrate an aesthetic known as Black dandyism.
The style is defined as a flamboyant yet sharp look historically used by Black men and women to make their unique mark in a fashion world that was, according to some experts, “dominated by white aesthetics”.
“This exhibition explores dandyism as both a pronouncement and a provocation,” explained curator Monica L. Miller, who authored a book called Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, exploring the complex link between fashion, race, class, sexuality, and power.
Gigi Hadid #MetGala pic.twitter.com/32zHn3KWA6
— 📸 (@metgalacrave) May 5, 2025
Taking this into consideration, Hadid’s golden, crystal-covered Miu Miu gown was anything but “random,” as one netizen wrote. It was, in fact, a tribute to Josephine Baker, an iconic Jazz Age entertainer and civil rights activist.
Known not only for her daring performances but also for her cutting-edge fashion, Baker is considered by many to be the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture and a symbol of elegance, defiance, and freedom.
The gown is a recreation of a gown designed by Zelda Wynn Valdes, a pioneering Black designer of the 40s
The look in question specifically mirrors one of Baker’s most celebrated gowns, which was originally designed by pioneering African American designer Zelda Wynn Valdes.
Valdes created iconic looks for many other prominent entertainers of the era, including Ella Fitzgerald, Dorothy Dandridge, Marian Anderson, Constance Bennet, Diahann Carroll, and Eartha Kitt.
Gigi Hadid is referencing Josephine Baker, the first Black actress to star in a major film, wearing custom Miu Miu at the #MetGala pic.twitter.com/aZzZcBwBO7
— 📸 (@metgalacrave) May 5, 2025
“It’s a celebration of Zelda Wynn Valdes,” Hadid told reporters on the carpet, confirming the connection. “She really took on the essence of Black dandyism.”
Valdes was known for her elegant, glamorous, and curve-hugging gowns, a style that helped define an era. She was also the first Black woman to open a boutique, the Chez Zelda, in Manhattan in 1948.
Perhaps one of her most famous contributions is the design of the first Playboy bunny costume, an attire that perfectly encapsulates what means to reinvent formalwear in daring and creative ways.
“Go home.” Hadid’s reference flew over the head of many viewers
