Dapper Dan, once a statement maker for tailors, returned to his African roots in Metropolitan Gala 2025, wearing a black and white Zoot suit with the fabulous Ghana bird symbol Sankofa.

"This is my third time here, and it's the most important thing in my career... because I have the opportunity to praise us. I have to come here to represent culture," Hip-hop fashion author and godfather (Né Daniel R. Day) told Met Gala Gala co-host Ego Nwodim and singer Teyana Taylor. “I said, ‘I need to bring some stuff to bring us back tonight, so I brought Sankofa.’ My night theme was the Sankofra and the real Harlem Dandy era, and I can go back to Harlem Renaissance (the 1920s and 1930s).

According to Sankofa.org, the nonprofit founded by the late Harry Belafonte, the symbol “was deeply rooted in the wisdom of the Akans in Ghana, depicting a bird turning backwards to an egg to retrieve it – a real progress requires us to draw inspiration from children of the past.”

The 80-year-old designer is adapting a memoir of big screen for Jerrod Carmichael, continuing: “I’m wearing a Zoot suit that can make Harlem Renaissance and Sankofa physically and mentally…We need to go back, and that’s all I’m going to get back to me today?

In his 304-page book Dapper and: Made in HarlemDay recalls going shopping, gambling, engaging in credit card fraud and battling drug addiction from a "dirty" scammer, and serving on the way - becoming a celebrity designer and later working with Gucci (he also doesn't attribute him to him for his 2018 Criese collection).

Day is known for his eponymous Harlem Atelier, where he redesigned Louis Vuitton clothing bags into tailor-made suits, transformed cherry red MCM printed leather into a car interior, and created a Gucci-inspired jacket for Rap Duo Eric B. & Rakim and placed him on Rap Royalty’s radar.

Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, Jam Jam Jay and Naomi Campbell (to name only), Jay-Z, LL Cool J, Salt-n-Pepa, Jam-k, Salt-n-Pepa, JAY-Z wore his "knock" to the luxury designer work of the logo.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser Metropolitan Celebrates the Costume Academy’s spring fashion exhibition. The 2025 exhibition, "Super Elf: Cut Black Style", draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller's 2009 book Fashion Slave: Black Playboy and Black Diaspora. To comply with the theme of tonight, the guest and celebrity designers are tasked with explaining the accompanying dress code: “Taided for you.”

This year's Mets League co-chair is FashionAnna Wintour, Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky and Williams, and LeBron James, who was unable to attend the event was appointed Honorary Chairman.

Check thrThe full coverage of the Metropolitan 2025 includes red carpet arrivals.