Two women who are synonymous with high fashion are Naomi Campbell and Anna Wintour, but sadly only one of them is in attendance at the 2025 Met Gala.
As editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna was never going to miss the coveted occasion and she was there to greet the first guests in floor length, Louis Vuitton floral silver gown with a blue blazer. However, Naomi took to Instagram to announce that she was skipping the event this year. 'Congratulations to Anna Wintour, the brilliant designers, the dedicated Met Gala team, and stunning attendees of tonight’s extraordinary celebration,' the supermodel wrote via Instagram on Monday.
'I have to say, what perfect timing for the ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ theme. It really celebrates how Black dandyism has shaped fashion and how fashion has been a way for Black people to express who they are and claim their power.'
To put rumours of a 'snub' to bed, Naomi clarified that she was 'honoured to be invited', but 'regretfully cannot make it' this year. She then paid tribute to André Leon Talley, the iconic stylist and Vogue staffer who died in 2022, in her statement. 'Even though I’m not there in person, I’m with you all in spirit, carried by the legacy of my beloved friend, the late Andre Leon Talley.'
Tributes to André have already begun and are likely to continue throughout the evening. Colman Domingo, one of this year's co-chairs, paid homage to the late fashion icon by wearing a blue Valentino robe in the style of André over his custom suit.
While there's no doubt Naomi will be sad to miss the Met Gala, especially considering this year's theme, it seems her social media explanation was not enough to keep speculation at bay. Many fans are still convinced that Naomi skipped this year's gala because of her alleged ongoing rift with the Vogue matriarch.
In September, Anna called out the supermodel for being 'late' to the 17th Fashion Row Fashion Show and Style Awards in New York. While presenting her with the Fashion Icon Award, Anna said, 'I am a very punctual person, and I have the honour of presenting tonight to someone who is often late.'
However, once Anna had left, Naomi appeared to clap back at the comment while introducing another award to Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Samira Nasr. 'It’s so important that I’m here today, and I’m honoured to be here in Harlem.
'Everything’s going to work out the way it’s going to work out. It wasn’t my choice to have the other woman. I’d much rather have this,' she said, motioning toward Samira. When her offhand remark was met with gasps from the audience, Naomi added that she's 'unapologetically truthful'.
So unapologetically truthful that she's been blacklisted from the Met Gala? We'll have to wait until next year to find out...
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across pop culture, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things TV for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow shows with equal respect).