Madonna, Jeff Goldblum and Nicole Kidman were among the white stars who hit the red carpet at the 2025 Met Gala

B elieve it or not, the Met Gala is more than just a fashion show with a vague theme and an awkward step-and-repeat up the Blair Waldorf–famous stairs.

On some occasions, the Met Gala veers into the territory of the fantastical or even cartoonish (see: last year’s “Garden of Time” dress code; 2019’s “Camp: Notes on Fashion”). This year’s dress code,