The 21 Best Dressed Men of the Met Gala 2022
Let’s face it, there’s still nothing quite like the Met Gala when it comes to expressions of outlandish fashion, irrespective of gender. Other entertainment awards will see their fair share of big looks, but by and large, the men in attendance seldom ever push the boundaries of fashion the way we see at the Met Gala. Remember Jared Leto carrying a prop of his own head in 2019? Or how about the wild sleeved geography lesson that Dan Levy sported last year?
Regardless of whether or not these looks are to your taste, the 2022 Met Gala was yet again a fantastical and fashionable confluence of the world’s leading designers and celebrity appearances. The year’s theme was Gilded Glamour — a nod to the 19th century “Gilded Age” that bears some resemblance to modern society, especially when looking at concentrations of wealth and excess.
After taking a bit of a dive into the glitzy evening’s outfits, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite men’s looks from the show. To keep things interesting, we’ve opted to look at not only the traditional and elegant black tie tailoring, but also some of the more unorthodox outfits of the show that we found noteworthy in one way or another. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Jared Leto — Gucci
Leto is always one to watch at the Met Gala, and he didn’t disappoint this year, appearing in matching outfits alongside Alessandro Michele, creative director of Gucci. The show started off with a bit of confusion, as a few media outlets misidentified Fredrik Robertsson as Leto, who had turned up in the absolutely wild silver sci-fi inspired outfit. Back to Leto — his and Michele’s floral pattern cream tuxedoes, black sunglasses, black gloves, and matching hairstyles made many do a bit of a double-take on arrival. The brown Gucci clutches seem a bit out of place with the rest of the look, but we’d be happy to see more of that suiting fabric make its way through Gucci collections soon.
Oscar Isaac — Thom Browne
Blurring the lines of gender in fashion — or perhaps more accurately removing the concept of gender from fashion — continues to move its way towards the mainstream, and Oscar Isaac (and his spouse Elvira Lind) delivered an exceptionally tasteful execution of precisely that. Dressed in Thom Browne, the duo flipped the script by wearing matching grey structured looks; Isaac wore a dress, whereas Lind wore a matching suit. This is not the first time that Isaac has made an appearance in a skirt or kilt by Thom Browne, and every time he manages to give it his own masculine twist rather than simply throwing on a dress for shock value. Well played indeed, and the Cartier Tank as a finishing touch isn’t half bad either.
Future — BOSS
Surprisingly, Future, in his BOSS-styled look, was one of the only ones to appear at the show in a mask. Shorts, coattails, and shattered glass patterned black lapels made for a rather impressive and cohesive look. We can’t say that we’re surprised, given how well dressed the man has been over the course of his career.
Ryan Reynolds — Ralph Lauren
Rolling into the Met Gala 2022 with the woman whose dress really stole the show, Reynolds obviously had to be a bit more conservative with his look. Opting for a sleek dark chocolate brown velvet tuxedo from Ralph Lauren, Reynolds added subtle details to his look by sporting a white bowtie and strapping on a green dialed Omega Speedmaster in Moonshine Gold. The question remains, if the Omega was on his wrist, what was attached to the pocket watch chain linked to his white vest?
Nyjah Huston — Vivienne Westwood
What does the world’s highest paid professional skateboarder wear to the Met Gala? After an appearance in Gucci last year, Huston turned to Vivienne Westwood for this stunning three-piece suit. No need for a shirt and tie, as his chest and neck tattoos complete the look all on their own. The white Christian Louboutin boots, sustainable diamond jewelry by VRAI, and Roger Dubuis Excalibur Cobalt Blue watch tie it all together without making things too flashy.
Kid Cudi — KENZO
After showing up extremely casually to the Met Gala last year, Kid Cudi took a very different direction for 2022. More closely aligned to this year’s theme, Cudi rolled in sporting a custom outfit by his friend NIGO — the recently appointed creative director of KENZO. A heavy blue cape lined with a floral pattern kept his crisp blue tux under wraps. That said, the chunky black patent leather boots, slit-cuff pants, and ruffled shirt cuffs still drew plenty of attention.
Ashton Sanders — Casablanca
To some, the look from Ashton Sanders at the Met Gala was a touch over the top; it could have well done without the vampire fangs and light blue coloured contact lenses. That said, the Casablanca outfit (from the brand’s AW22 unveil) suited the theme perfectly, all while proving that you don’t need to roll in traditional tailoring to make a Gala look shine. The denim bodice-style jacket and pants were trimmed extensively in gilded detailing, drawing clear yet subtle influence from 19th century Royal Navy attire.
Jack Harlow — Givenchy
It seems the up-and-coming rapper can clean up pretty well, given the opportunity. Harlow’s dark brown double breasted suit marked a second occasion being dressed in Givenchy, and the fit of this suit is really spot-on. Peeking out under the shirt cuff is trusty Rolex Sky-Dweller — the watch he acquired after his first tracks started hitting billboard charts in 2020.
Ben Platt — Christian Cowan
Taking things in a different direction, the vintage cues in Ben Platt’s look are quite out of the ordinary, but in a way that somehow works really well. From the ribcage upward, and from waist to knee, the cut of his look appears quite conventional, but in reality the entire jacket is a corset that laces all the way up its back. Designed by Christian Cowan, who mostly only designs for women, the way this look combines black tie with a period theme is just plain stunning.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II — Thom Browne
Rocking one of many stellar Thom Browne outfits at the Gala, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II wanted to “feel like a king,” as he told Vanity Fair yesterday. The custom-made jacket was the obvious star of the show, with ankle-length tails, and embroidered gold bouillon orchids and laurel leaves. Working with his stylist Jan-Michael Quammie, the end result is extremely polished and retains plenty of memorable character.
Irina Shayk — Burberry
As we’ve noted already, there were plenty of looks to appear at the Met Gala that do not need to be anchored in gender in any way. This couldn’t be more true for Irina Shayk’s full leather biker look by Burberry — with the right body and a little confidence, anyone could rock this. That said, don’t go doing so when it’s 30 degrees outside.
Shawn Mendes — Tommy Hilfiger
Opting for a crimson and navy coat layered over a simple monochromatic navy suit from Tommy Hilfiger, Mendes’ look is proof that you don’t need to go (too) overboard in order to make a statement.
Paapa Essiedu — Off-White
While not exactly connecting to the theme, Paapa Essiedu’s oversized suit from Off-White was a sentimental choice, as the intent was to pay tribute to the late Virgil Abloh by wearing a piece from the last collection launched prior to his passing. A gold Hublot Classic Fusion is tucked under the soft velvet cuff.
Kieran Culkin — Dior
To use a rather dated reference, there’s a bit of a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off sort of vibe going on with Kieran Culkin’s Met Gala 2022 look, but we’re OK with it. Dressed head to toe in very simple Dior, the look suits Culkin’s vibe — it’s not the best tailored nor the best fit, but it feels like it’s all purposefully “off”.
Leslie Odom Jr. — Fendi
Sometimes it’s the finest of details that really completes a look, and in this case it’s the unorthodox three quarter sleeve of this short-cut coat. The whole look is quite understated — especially for Fendi — and it’s something we’d be happy to see more of.
Chloë Grace Moretz — Louis Vuitton
Chloë Grace Moretz looked fantastic at this year’s Met Gala, and delivered yet another look that — with a bit of pant tailoring and different shoes — would look great on quite literally anyone. The jaw-dropping platinum jacket (as well as the rest of the look) comes from Louis Vuitton, and many of us are hoping that it’s not just a one-off.
Harris Dickinson — Dior
The instinct here is to talk about the whimsical three dimensional flora and foliage on Harris Dickinson’s shirt, but it’s really the cut of the trousers that caught our attention first. A high waistband, billowy fabric, and a structured diagonal fly/pleat situation give these black Dior slacks an eye-catching aesthetic. The shirt isn’t half bad either.
Jacob Elordi — Burberry
Clean and composed with a twist was the name of the game for Euphoria star Jacob Elordi, as he walked the Met Gala red carpet last night. His suit featured a smattering of hand-embroidered with crystal embellishments in Burberry’s Equestrian Knight Design with a silk tie and patent leather shoes to match. To be honest, the embellishments looked more abstract until seeing the official description.
Hugh Dancy — Fendi
One of two looks we took a shine to from Fendi, Hugh Dancy going for an all white suiting was a big risk that seems to have paid off. It’s simple, it didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, and it still managed to stand out from an otherwise colourful pack.
Riz Ahmed — 4SDESIGNS
With the knee-high boots, we’re tempted to file this look as something along the lines of “streetwear-meets-jockey-chic”, but in a good way. It’s still pretty casual for the Met Gala, but it all comes together nicely in a look that could just as easily be worn for a regular old night out.
Marcus Samuelsson
Sometimes you just need to have a little fun, and if that means a hot pink tux, a cape, and mismatched custom Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, then so be it. Acclaimed chef (and man behind the Met Gala menu) Marcus Samuelsson wasn’t looking to outdo the celebs on the red carpet, but he sure fit in well with this look.
