Kamala Harris, 60, stuns in a loose black dress with white details at the 2025 Met Gala

The former US Vice President was joined by her husband, Doug Emhoff, as she made a surprise cameo on Monday night.Kamala Harris made a surprising fashion statement at the 2025 Met Gala, swapping her usual pantsuit for a flowing black dress with white details. While some were thrilled to see her in a fresh appearance, others thought it fell short.

Harris, who has mainly avoided the public spotlight since the November 2024 election, was conspicuously absent on the red carpet at the 2025 Met Gala. However, images of her appearance at the Costume Institute’s exhibition opening, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” have surfaced online.

Harris donned a handmade black and cream gown designed by Off-White’s creative director, IB Kamara. The dress, made of rich cady silk, included complex embellishments such as a dramatic one-sided floor-length sleeve, a pleated skirt, and a long scarf that cascaded beautifully down.

Fans had a lot to say about Kamala Harris’ appearance, with many expressing astonishment at her departure from her typical pantsuits. One admirer commented, “Kamala, who is renowned for wearing pantsuits, is wearing a dress? There was a missed chance here. PS: I miss her.

Other followers had similar sentiments: “This woman lived in pant suits.” Why is she wearing such a loose-fitting outfit when the emphasis is on tailoring?

Another commenter expressed mixed feelings, writing, “Love her, but I’ve had enough boring black and white fits for a lifetime after tonight.” More fans plainly replied, “No, ma’am. It’s really blah.”. There is absolutely no spice.”

The outfit itself stirred controversy about its fit. One observer described it as “underwhelming and off-topic,” while another pondered, “What had happened to her suit uniform?”  The dress is lovely [sic], but not for tonight’s theme!!”

Some admirers were more critical, commenting, “Is she really that wide? Is the dress that unflattering? Another netizen said, “Dress swallows her. .” However, not every reaction was unfavorable. One admirer commented, “It’s great to finally see her wearing a dress! 

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The 2025 Met Gala made history as the first time the major exhibition focused on menswear, fueling speculation that Harris might wear a suit. Nonetheless, her previous dress selections have been deliberate, with suits frequently having a strategic function rather than merely expressing personal flair.

However, Kamara stated that he approached Harris’s appearance with elegance and simplicity, creating a design that reflected the evening’s celebration of Black culture and style. “Utilizing a mix of silk fabrications and precise tailoring, we added subtle flares, allowing her dandyism to shine through — like the dramatic sleeve and elongated scarf,” he told me.

Kamara and the Off-White crew recognized Harris as the epitome of dandyism, which is defined by confidence and courage. For them, her path and impact made her a tremendous symbol of strength and inspiration, so dressing her for the Met Gala was not just an honor but also a highly significant occasion for the whole business.

Meanwhile, Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, kept things traditional at the Met Gala in a classic black tuxedo by Brunello Cucinelli, complete with a bow tie and crisp white shirt.

He uploaded two heartfelt images from the evening, showing genuine moments of him smiling at his wife with the same love and affection he’s shown her for years. Emhoff writes, “We had a lovely evening at the Met celebrating the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.’” Thank you to everyone involved for a wonderful evening.”

Harris has also spoken out, praising the Costume Institute and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s overall efforts to highlight important, agenda-shaping manifestations of creativity.

She understood the significance of exhibits like “Superfine,” which elevates the Black dandy as a symbol of self-expression and resistance while providing a valuable venue for cultural discourse. According to her, art has always played an important role in defining society and influencing politics and policy.

“Artistic expression, whether via dance, music, visual arts, or fashion, has a way of expressing people’s moods and languages without using words.”

Art has the power to shape the conversation about where we are now and where we need to go,” Harris stated.