X-Men are pushing the envelope even farther in of fashion design. This time, they're extending invitations to dress up to other characters like Captain America, resulting in some of the best Hellfire Gala costumes so far. Some of them, like the costumes for Jean Grey and Storm, have even become part of their standard superhero attire.
The event is becoming an annual tradition in Marvel Comics and it's also a showcase bringing a new style and life to classic characters. Some of the best Hellfire Gala costumes push characters forward into the future, while also honoring the past. Others evoke aspects of character and comic book lore in new and exciting ways that make the event a visual feast for new and old fans alike.
Rachel Summers
Rachel Summers' 2021 Hellfire Gala costume was one of the most challenging but also one of the most unique. The red costume evolved her classic Hound look from the '80s and '90s but amplified the spikes to dramatic lengths.
Her costume embodies the distance she used to employ and still does to some extent with others to a powerful and somewhat sad degree. Her mouth is covered by spikes, suggesting she's not able to say what she wants to. Though it feels regressive for Rachel, the costume itself speaks to the lack of development for her in recent years.
Magik
Magik's 2022 Hellfire Gala costume is among the most provocative. The spiky design directly recalls her look during one of the most fraught periods in her comic history when she was the Darkchild and ruler of the demon dimension of Limbo.
Her mouth is also covered by inky makeup, a curious but intriguing choice that further links this costume to Ilyana's tortured past. The dramatic black horns are also a powerful link back to the past, perhaps suggesting she has fully embraced her power and identity.
Cyclops
Cyclops' 2021 Hellfire Gala costume was one of the most dramatic. His 2022 look is less garish in color, but no less ambitious in design. The costume recalls the look of a samurai and with its layered shirts and robes even some of the most powerful Jedi in Star Wars.
The coat Cyclops wears definitely gives off vibes from Anakin Skywalker's unorthodox Jedi robes in the prequel trilogy, which sat on his shoulders without traditional sleeves in a fashion similar to Cyclops' new look.
Storm
Storm's 2021 Hellfire Gala costume was so instantly iconic it has essentially become her default costume in the comics. The costume combines the classic silhouette of her Giant-Size X-Men era costume along with golden elements reflecting her more modern regal status.
Storm wears golden shoulder pads and a ringed neckpiece that evokes her time as the queen of Wakanda. Coupled with her trademark lightning bolt earrings, reflecting one of her '80s looks, it's an all-time classic befitting the new queen of Mars.
Wolverine
Laura Kinney is one of the most powerful versions of Wolverine and the 2021 Hellfire Gala gave her one of her most powerful looks. Her dress reverses her yellow and blue costume colors to create a unique and almost Art Deco design.
The navy blue color scheme works incredibly well with Laura, especially paired with the arm-length black gloves. It's an elegant design that is also functional, though she has yet to use it in any context outside of the Hellfire Gala.
Rogue
Rogue is one of the strongest X-Men in Marvel Comics and her outfits are generally among the strongest as well. Her '90s costume is an all-time classic but her 2021 Hellfire Gala gives it a run for its money with a flashy but simple design.
The Hellfire Gala look incorporates her classic comic colors of green and white while also allowing for a little softness in a light-green blouse. Rogue's costumes are traditionally very buttoned-up due to her unique powers, but this one reflects her comfort with her powers in recent years.
Captain America
Captain America's outfits in the comics are traditionally very conservative — with the exception of the initial Nomad look — but his costume for the 2022 Hellfire Gala is a huge departure for him. It's a great one, incorporating some modern fashion flair into a classic suit.
The tailored three-piece suit reflects Captain America's signature colors in its pinstripesFic and a little classic style from the 1940s in the cut and style of the suit and vest. It's an instant classic and contender for one of his best looks ever.
White Queen
The White Queen is known for her outfits in X-Men comics and she embodied the fashion gusto of the 2021 Hellfire Gala with no less than three different looks. The best was the simplest but most dramatic costume she's ever worn, a sheer diamond lace dress.
This dress, worn by Emma while in her diamond skin form, is perhaps the most dramatic fashion statement she's ever made. It's gorgeous in its simplicity but also in its power, which she sparkles with as the organizer and host of what's become an annual event for the X-Men.
Jean Grey
Jean Grey's 2021 Hellfire Gala outfit was so good that it's become a part of her regular work attire in current X-Men comics. The green armored outfit was designed by artist Russell Dauterman to be utilitarian, and it updates Jean's classic X-Men look for the modern-day.
One of the top mutant telepaths in Marvel Comics, Jean is getting a new and more fashion-minded dress for 2022. But it's likely this outfit remains part of her wardrobe into the future, and perhaps even the MCU when she eventually makes her debut.
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch was persona non grata at 2021's Hellfire Gala, but she's a guest of honor in 2022. She is wearing one of her best costumes in recent years, a black and red design that incorporates elements of different periods of her history to create a show-stopping whole.
The dress is highly evocative of her '90s costume, and the headdress marries her classic crest with the more lace-crafted one of recent years. The best part is the spectral rendition of her hair, filled with stars, representing her true cosmic power and importance.
