“I’m a stylist and designer from Ghana,” Frederick Yawagyei tells Vogue from the line. “This [outfit] is African meets European style, as you can see my suit, and then this is mudcloth from Mali. I’m trying to juxtapose two different materials, the texture, and the motif, with the European style. Then there’s my Prada sandals.”

Vintage and thrifting, for many, was the name of the game—and added a storytelling dimension to their looks. “My outfit is a collection of Poshmark acquired pieces,” shares Wilbur Pack Jr. “The hat is from France and the bow tie was a gift for my aunt for my 57th birthday. And I’m wearing the bow tie because my father showed me how to tie a bow tie when I was a kid. He passed away when I was 24 from cancer, and it’s an homage to him.”

“My outfit is all thrift and New York street shops,” adds Michael Morris Mason. “I got this jacket from a street shop and a friend of mine, she’s an artist, she actually [created] the back. My husband bought me the bag, it’s a Coach original and I got my boots from a shop in Vegas when I was traveling. My hat is from a vendor on the street at a festival in Brooklyn.”

Others did their research, taking inspiration from the history books as well as Monday’s red carpet, like Zach Lindsey, who looked to the pinstripe trend. “[The look} is a mixture of like highs and lows, so we have Helmet Lang for the top, Telfar for the hat, some GU on the shirt, Levi’s from the bottom and then Zara’s shoes with some different vintage jewelry mixed in throughout.”

“I’d done a little bit of research about the Met Gala, the ‘Superfine’ exhibit that’s opening, and the dandyism era, and I’ve been a fashionista for all my life,” says Renee Harrison. “I wanted to come looking like a dandy or my interpretation of that. I’m wearing a two-piece white suit, a pinstripe blouse, a green men’s necktie, and the matching black and white shoes.”

Photography by Kya.