For 2025, the Met Ball’s theme is Black Dandyism. It’s about how black individuals have appropriated and transformed classic European style into something unique and with spirit. The brief to attendees is to interpret dandyism from the 18th century through to its revival during the Harlem Renaissance to today. It’s aesthetic, and it’s political, reminding us that what we wear today is still about attitude and individuality.
Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and LeBron James are the co-chairs, hand-picked by Anna Wintour, who oversees the gala each year. Each man has been selected for his modern-day expression as a black man in a position of influence. These men have real integrity in fashion and beyond; from Pharrell defying the formal dress code of the Grammy’s in 2014, wearing an Adidas track jacket and a Vivienne Westwood Buffalo Hat (with the Pharrell hat handle receiving 16,000 followers overnight on Twitter) to LeBron the basketball player who is a leading voice in social justice with many philanthropic and educational initiatives.
We reached out to original second hand dealer and stylist, Frank Akinsete to curate a selection of pieces that celebrate the transformative power of clothing and how they tell stories about who we are.
Frank’s the premium vintage dealer behind the Portobello Market based Souled Out stall. His reputation goes before him; also well-known for his distinct Buffalo hat and bold flair, he made history by setting up the first vintage shop within a department store in 1993, pioneering vintage resellers with his eclectic selections and expertise.
