Sydney Sweeney faces backlash for white woman reference at 2025 Met Gala's 'Black Style' theme

Sydney Sweeney’s shimmering red carpet appearance at the 2025 Met Gala turned heads, but not all in admiration.

While the “Euphoria” and “White Lotus” star dazzled in a curve-hugging black Miu Miu gown, featuring sparkling beaded fringe and a dramatic keyhole neckline, her choice of inspiration ignited backlash for what many are calling a tone-deaf misfire.

The event, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, spotlighted the theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, a celebration of Black dandyism and fashion history.

The dress code, Tailored for You, emphasized personal style interpretations rooted in Black fashion identity.

But Sweeney’s stylistic muse? None other than Kim Novak, a white 1950s screen siren.

Before arriving at the gala, Sweeney teased her look on Instagram with a photo of Novak, 92, hinting at her homage to the classic Hollywood actress.

The nod, however, quickly raised eyebrows.

Critics on X (formerly Twitter) were swift and pointed in their reactions. One user scoffed, “Sydney Sweeney referencing Kim Novak, a white lady, for Superfine: Tailoring Black Style….ok?” while another fired off, “Paying homage to a white lady when the theme is tailoring black style.”

The actress is set to portray Novak in the upcoming biopic Scandalous!, directed by Met Gala co-chair Colman Domingo.

The film will explore Novak’s controversial love affair with Sammy Davis Jr., a Black entertainer and cultural icon, during the racially tense 1950s.

That context, however, didn’t shield Sweeney from criticism.

More social media critiques piled on:
“Sydney Sweeney is not on the theme for the night at all. Nice gown, beautiful gowns, though.”
“Actress Sydney Sweeney looks like she’s going to a White House Correspondents Dinner and not the Met Gala based on Super Fine: Tailoring Black Style. #MetGala2025”
“I guess this is the ‘safe’ way to interpret the theme! Smh!”
“Sydney Sweeney needs to explain how paying homage to a white woman is black dandyism.”

Despite the outrage, Sweeney stood by her vision, offering a brief explanation during her Vogue red carpet interview with correspondent Lala Anthony.

“I always feel that [Miu Miu] just brings such beautiful stories to every dress,” she said. “So this is actually paying homage to Kim Novak, and I’m doing a movie with Colman Domingo … so we wanted to really just bring that to life.”

Though she looked every bit the Hollywood siren, the dissonance between her glamorous execution and the cultural weight of the Met Gala’s theme left many questioning the message behind the sparkle. In an evening centered on honoring Black style, her homage to a white screen legend was a bold and for some, baffling choice.