If there was any year to be a Met Gala first-timer, it was this year. 

With an unprecedented theme (“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”) and a highly anticipated dress code (“Tailored For You”), the 2025 Met Gala was surely going to be one of the most memorable in its 77-year history. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this historical evening?

Among the crop of Met Gala newcomers was “Saturday Night Live” comedian Ego Nwodim, who co-hosted Vogue‘s official livestream with Teyana Taylor. And while this may have been her first run, the actor already proved she has the sartorial chops to hold her own during fashion’s biggest night. 

On the first Monday in May, the actor hit the step-and-repeat donning a playful black three-piece suit by Christopher John Rogers. The outfit included a cropped blazer featuring power shoulders and multicolored buttons along the sleeves. Underneath was a button-down corset with a ruffle-adorned pannier along the hips. Waist-down, she opted for ankle-length trousers. 

For Nwodim’s stylist, Solange Franklin, the goal was to explore the relation between fantasy and identity, and actualize that in an outfit.

“I interpreted [the theme] as the idea of constructing an image that is for external consumption but also about reconciling your inner world with your outer presentation,” Franklin told Fashionista days before the event. “And traditionally, who has that been for? […] What does fantasy mean to us? Does that mean extravagance? Does that mean consumption? To me, it means comfort, wit, fullness and embracing our full humanity.”

Those elements come to life in the suit’s considered restraint, sharp dressing and play with proportions, she noted.

Influential figures like Zelda Wynn Valdes and André Leon Talley, plus communities like the sapeurs (Congolese men who adopted refined European-style clothing as a means of rebellion), heavily informed Franklin’s thought process. “I was also thinking about the hidden hands that have gone into creating super fine tailoring and just finest presentation of looks,” she added.

With that in mind, there wasn’t a better designer to bring this vision to life than Rogers. Franklin had successfully worked with the New York-based designer before, and she felt “honored” when he agreed to team up again for this momentous night. Even more importantly, she was thrilled to be working with Black creatives. 

“To be able to work with a Black designer that I consider a friend, and to work with talent that I consider to be a wonderful collaborator and companion, I’m over the moon,” she said. 

Of course, the look wasn’t complete without accessories: Nwodim went with a cascading diamond necklace and glittering drop earrings from Boucheron and bright red pumps. On the beauty front, she sported a spotlight-stealing geometric updo with classic makeup: a glossy neutral lip and subtle smoky eye. The final cheeky detail: multicolored, button-adorned nails that matched the buttons on her blazer sleeves.

For Nwodim, this debut outfit is an extension of her personal style, per Franklin. As someone with a natural affinity for tailoring, subtle sensuality and clean lines, it wasn’t too difficult deciding on a look that felt authentic to Nwodim’s image.

“I think of Ego as refined, streamlined and effortless,” Franklin shared. “Those are words that she influenced in terms of the final look.”

Reporting by Brooke Frischer.

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