The spirit of high fashion and star-studded glamour lit up the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Monday night, where local style aficionados gathered to celebrate one of fashion’s most prestigious nights: The Met Gala. The museum held a watch party gala that also served as the kickoff to its first-ever Memphis Art & Fashion Week, an initiative aimed at blending visual art, design and personal style into a weeklong celebration.
With a red carpet laid across the museum’s floors and the Met’s Costume Institute’s annual exhibit livestreaming on TVs throughout, guests brought their boldest looks and biggest personalities to this lively gathering that proved Memphis knows how to serve a look — and a vibe.
This year’s Met Gala theme, “Tailored for You,” honored and explored the fashion narrative and history of Black dandy style with Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky and Pharrell Williams serving as co-chairs. Inspired by 18th-century dandyism, the gala’s dress code spotlighted tailored suiting and elevated menswear silhouettes, paying tribute to an aesthetic tradition rooted in defiance, elegance and self-definition. The theme’s cultural depth and artistic resonance made this year’s gala more than just the usual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute — it became a reclamation.
The Costume Institute’s Spring Exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” further emphasized this focus, offering a thoughtful examination of Black sartorial history and creativity.
The Brooks event, hosted by “Design Star: Next Gen” winner Carmeon Hamilton and Colin Chapman, both graduates of the University of Memphis Fashion School, transformed the museum into a runway of local creativity and cultural homage. DJ Strooly spun an eclectic set that kept the energy alive as guests mingled among modern art and ancient sculptures, dressed in everything from couture to subcultural street styles.
“I’m truly excited that Memphis is supporting — or should I say curating — an atmosphere for fashion to really take root and have a presence in this city,” said Hamilton during her welcome remarks. “We get overlooked for a lot of things, and it doesn’t happen unless people that are here are willing to plant the seed and cultivate this environment for an industry to grow. So huge shout out to the Brooks Museum for understanding that in order for the city to be great, the arts have to be great.”
Among the crowd was Frenchie. “Being a Rihanna fan led me to following and falling in love with the Met Gala,” he said with a smile. “I’ve always liked fashion and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ is a really good movie that I love. I just feel like with fashion, you get to express yourself in millions of different ways.”
He gave a nod to Anna Wintour, longtime Vogue editor and Met Gala architect: “She’s always changing styles and themes each year, and it kind of keeps people guessing on what to do and what to wear. It seems like people always execute the task.”
While some attendees dressed according to the theme, others displayed their own personal style.
One of the most eye-catching looks of the evening came from Jasmine Stephenson, who wore an electric ensemble categorized as Decora fashion, a colorful, maximalist offshoot of Harajuku style that originated in Tokyo. Adorned with vibrant hair clips, layered accessories, and playful textures, Stephenson turned heads throughout the evening.
“She’s totally Decora,” confirmed guest Erin Lewis, who first got into alternative fashion through pastel-heavy Hawaii fashion before falling in love with Japanese street styles. “It’s really over the top, like tons of stickers and baubles everywhere, very colorful — literally like the biggest outfit you can make. It’s just amazing and super fun.”
Though Stephenson admitted the contrast between her style and the often glamorous Met Gala looks made her “sometimes feel out of place,” she added, “I just have an appreciation for all fashion and it makes me appreciate how it all connects together.”
Also spotted were local fashion duo Jennifer and Ian Hawkins, a mom-and-son pair, with Ian dressed in an adorable sailor-inspired outfit.
The room buzzed with laughter, admiration and plenty of fashion talk as patrons sipped themed cocktails and debated the best (and most daring) looks from the actual Met Gala in Manhattan.
The Met Gala itself has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1948, when fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organized the first event at the Waldorf Astoria to raise money for the Costume Institute.
Entry was just $50. Themed galas began in 1973 under the late Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland, and when Anna Wintour took the helm in 1995, the gala evolved into what it is today — a star-studded showcase of creativity and cultural commentary.
As Memphis guests cheered and critiqued celebrity outfits flashing across the big screen, it was clear that the city’s fashion community shared in that global spirit of expression, innovation and flair.
With rhinestones, ruffles and radical style choices filling the museum’s halls, the Brooks Museum’s Art & Fashion Week launched in dramatic, dazzling style — proving that the city is ready to make its mark on the fashion world.
Memphis Art & Fashion Week events
Friday, May 9
Runway at the Museum – 6 p.m.
More than 50 visionary designers from across the U.S. — headlined by Korto Momolu — will light up the runway with culture, innovation, and bold style.
All runway show tickets include access to the Summer Art Garden After Party. Presented by Shanea and David McKinney via The McKinney Family Foundation and Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Saturday, May 10
Cocktails with the Curator: Black Dandyism – 3 p.m.
Join C. Rose Smith, Brooks assistant curator of photography, for a deep dive into the roots and evolution of Black Dandyism — from 18th-century resistance to modern-day influence. This reflective talk responds to the Met’s Superfine exhibit and examines how figures like André Leon Talley reshaped the cultural narrative through fashion.
Memphis Art & Fashion Week is presented in collaboration with the University of Memphis Fashion Program and powered by the Couture Collective, with support from Hemline LLC. The week is directed by Ramona Sonin Lee.
