At the 2025 Met Gala, Janelle Monáe made a striking fashion statement with a transformative ensemble designed by Thom Browne. She initially appeared in a two-piece overcoat featuring trompe l'oeil effects and white vertical stripes, accessorized with a Magritte-style bowler hat and monocle. Costume designer Paul Tazewell later revealed a second look beneath the coat: a deconstructed sport coat and skirt combining red wool and black-and-white pinstripes. Monáe emphasized her ongoing mission to challenge norms around fashion and Black identity through her artistic choices.