The last time David and Victoria Beckham attended the Met Gala was in 2014, when they showcased burnished bronzed skin against optic-white tailoring for the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion”-themed red carpet. And while the couple were once again absent from this year’s proceedings, in their place arrived a convenient hybrid of the two: their middle child, Romeo, who is both a former footballer and a bona fide force within the fashion industry.
It was the 23-year-old’s debut appearance on the Met steps – and it felt right on time. Since making an almost clandestine catwalk debut in face-obscuring sunglasses at Balenciaga’s spring/summer 2025 show under Demna, Romeo has become a regular fixture at fashion weeks over the past 18 months. There he was in a metal-mesh vest at Versace’s autumn/winter 2025 presentation, as well as in a series of leather-heavy looks at H&M’s LFW show, and Willy Chavarria and Burberry’s autumn/winter 2026 runways.
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“My first Met is a special moment for me, so I’ll be taking it all in and appreciating every detail,” Romeo says, noting that he’s already established a few habits when getting ready for the high-profile events that are increasingly a feature of his diary. “I’ll always have football highlights on while I’m getting ready, then switch over to music to set the tone for the evening.” And though the Met Gala may be new terrain, the spectacle itself is not. “I’ve always loved seeing how people interpret the dress codes – it’s incredible how varied and individual each look can be,” he continues, adding that he’s drawn to “more understated looks that still feel powerful”. Among his favourites: Pharrell Williams’s 2025 flared tailoring (“I’ve always loved a flare”) and A$AP Rocky in a kilt over denim in 2023 (“that was sick”).
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