The Met Gala isn't just fashion's biggest night or a spectacle for spectacle's sake; it's also an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, and that's important to keep in mind when evaluating the looks on its red carpet.
Basically, if ever there was a place to be unapologetically over-the-top, it's this red carpet. That's what makes Demi Moore's 2025 Met Gala look such a gem.
At first glance, the 62-year-old actress's black and white gown is deceptively subtle. Sure, it stands out—it's impossible not to with a huge halo collar. But until you catch a glimpse from the right distance and angle, it's not clear what an accomplishment it really is.
Zoom out and take in the full silhouette of the dress, though, and its hidden kitsch takes shape—specifically, the shape of a knotted necktie.
The 2025 Met Gala's theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," is intended as an explorations of “style of Black men in the context of dandyism, from the 18th-century through present day,” according to Vogue. While Moore's black and white, off-the-shoulder Thom Browne gown works as an on-the-nose interpretation, it manages to do so without venturing into Halloween costume territory.
It's a thin line, but Moore and stylist Brad Goreski managed to walk it perfectly. The actress accessorized the gown with sparkling diamond jewelry and the light exuberance that should be required when leaning into fashion kitsch.
Moore is a Met Gala vet who has been attending the event off and on for more than 25 years, including an appearance at the 2024 Met Gala wearing a wallpaper dress that reportedly took 11,000 hours to embroider. Her 2025 look is similarly intricate and includes a jaw-dropping 1.4 million bugle beads.