Kamala Harris made her Met Gala debut. Her appearance was one of the evening's biggest surprises, with her steering clear of the red carpet and making her way straight into the event in a custom black and white gown designed by Ib Kamara. While she was one of the night's guests, her former rival, President Donald Trump, was banned from the event by Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour.
Harris attended the event with her husband, Doug Emhoff, and wore a custom gown designed by Off-White Creative Director Ib Kamara. The gown was made up of mostly black fabric, but had a cream-colored sleeve that draped down Harris' side.
She accessorized the look with the Roger Vivier Pilgrim Buckle Bag.
Kamara explained his design and related it to the evening's theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." The dress code was called "Tailored for You."
“The precise simplicity of this black and cream look for Kamala D. Harris complements her own strength and confidence—two qualities I consider to be the core of dandyism," said Kamara, as shared by Off-White's social media.
Wintour, who's the Met Gala's lead figure, has long supported Harris. She hosted a Democratic fund-raiser in March 2024, and featured her on the cover in 2021 and 2024. Last year, Wintour endorsed her as the presidential candidate.
Politicians at the Met Gala
The Met Gala tends to value celebrities from the realms of entertainment, sports, and the arts, inviting them over politicians. Still, these have made appearances over the years.
New York Mayor Eric Adams and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made appearances at the show's red carpet in recent years, sparking conversations due to the event's expensive costs, which include an entry fee of $75,000.
Hillary Clinton has attended the Met Gala in various instances, with her most recent appearance taking place in 2022. In the case of Trump, he used to be a regular fixture at the Met Gala, attending the event numerous times since the '80s. In 2004, he attended the gala alongside Melania Trump, with him proposing at the party.