A MET Gala Debrief

​The highly-anticipated “first Monday in May” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute will host its grand gala for Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. The Met Gala is a televised red carpet event that is a fashion show in itself, featuring its celebrity guests. The Gala is both celebrated and critiqued each year, as some looks on the red carpet “understand the assignment” or miss the theme entirely, and this race-related exhibition is under close watch.

​This year, The Fashion and Race Database is hosting a live roundtable “Met Gala Debrief,” as we react to the looks and key moments from the event – through a fashion academic lens.

​Tickets to this virtual gathering are free, but donations are appreciated to keep our work going.

​The Critics:

• ​Dr. Jonathan M. Square, Assistant Professor, Parsons School of Design and founder of Fashioning the Self in Slavery and Freedom

• ​Darnell Jamal Lisby, Assistant Curator of Fashion, The Cleveland Museum of Art

• ​Kimberly Jenkins, fashion studies scholar and founder of The Fashion and Race Database

​Moderated by:

• ​Shelcy Joseph, Founder and Editor of Market Appointment 

​Assistant Moderator:

• ​Markeilan Smith, Winter/Spring 2025 intern at The Fashion and Race Database and M.A. candidate, Fashion Studies at Parsons School of Design–Paris