There's no prescribed way to re-enter the limelight, but if such a thing existed there's no doubt that former Vice President Kamala Harris created something of a blueprint as she made her Met Gala debut last night.
Choosing to forego the red carpet, Harris attended the fêted event with her husband, former Second Gentleman of the United States, Doug Emhoff, wearing custom Off-White, designed by the label's creative director, IB Kamara.
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Marking not only her first time attending the event, but also her latest public appearance made over the last couple of weeks, Harris is clearly making her great return to public life (she is also set to appear at another fundraiser in New York on Tuesday — this one for the Democratic National Committee.)
'Art has always had a significant impact on not just culture, but also our policies and politics,' Harris said in a statement shared with Vogue. 'Artistic expression — whether it’s dance, music, visual arts, or fashion—has a way of capturing the mood and language of the people without words. Art has the power to shape the conversation about where we are today and where we need to go.'
'The true core of dandyism is rooted in confidence and strength. There is no person who exemplifies these characteristics more than Kamala D. Harris, someone who has overcome adversity and continues to be a beacon for so many,' Kamara added in his own statement. 'This is such an important moment for me and the whole Off-White community.'
The theme of this year's event was 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' which fundraised for The Costume Institute and put the spotlight on its spring 2025 exhibition of the same name. According to exhibition's curator, Andrew Bolton, the exhibit, which is inspired by guest curator Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, explores 'the Black dandy as both a concept and an identity signifier.'
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Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years’ worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
