Kamala Harris makes a surprise — and quiet — debut appearance at the Met Gala

Former Vice President Kamala Harris made her debut appearance at the Met Gala in New York wearing a custom black-and-white gown by Off-White — though she and Doug Emhoff skipped the red carpet entirely.

Ahead of a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee, former Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at the Met Gala in New York, along with husband Doug Emhoff, wearing a custom black-and-white gown by Off-White. Though they skipped the red carpet, Harris appears in photos ahead of the event wearing an elegant silk silhouette with an asymmetrical cape sleeve and a long scarf — a look meant to evoke a sense of timelessness, according to the luxury label. The former vice president was invited by Vogue editor-in-chief and Met Gala co-chair Anna Wintour, according to a spokesperson for Harris. She has made few high-profile appearances since losing the presidential election in November, though she has recently given two speeches at the Leading Women Defined Summit and Emerge Gala, the latter of which benefits an organization that recruits and trains women to run for office. In both, Harris has rebuked US President Trump’s first 100 days in office. “Instead of an administration working to advance America’s highest ideals, we are witnessing the wholesale abandonment of those ideals,” she said at the Emerge Gala last Wednesday. “And what we are also seeing in these last 14 weeks is Americans using their voice and showing their courage.” Over the course of her vice presidency, Harris’ fashion choices often evoked subtle symbolism, from the suffrage-associated white suit and pussybow blouse she wore as she stepped into the role, to a tan Chloé suit at last year’s Democratic National Convention that seemed to be a playful nod to former President Obama. The former vice president also appeared on the cover of Vogue twice, with her first portrait igniting debate over her more casual demeanor in a black jacket and Converse sneakers, photographed by Tyler Mitchell. At the Met Gala, Harris celebrated the spirit of the Costume Institute’s exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” in her look from Off-White. The show explores the exuberant and subversive history of Black dandyism, based on the landmark book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” by the show’s guest curator and scholar Monica L. Miller. The exhibition on Black sartorial history is going on during an uncertain time for museums, as the Trump administration has made calls to end crucial federal funding for the arts and has targeted Smithsonian museums for their exhibitions on race and gender.