The 2025 Met Gala made a cultural impact with Black Designers taking the front-row seat.
On the left: Ghanaian designer Jude Dontoh and on the right: Ms. Lauryn Hill at the 2025 Met Gala Carpet
This year’s theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” redefined the language of luxury and heritage in an unapologetic self-expression of Black dandyism.
Here our selected list of Black designers that left their mark at the 2025 Met Gala Carpet:
Chief Ugo Mozie is first on the list with three unforgettable looks. Styling the ever-charismatic Khaby Lame in a custom @Boss ensemble that seemed to halt time itself, Mozie fused modern tailoring with poetic restraint. He co-designed Diana Ross’s grand return to the Met Gala carpet, her first in over two decades, alongside @elevensixteen, presenting a moment that felt like history in motion. And once again with @Boss, Mozie styled Alton Mason, the runway’s most electrifying model, in a show-stopping piece by designer @falcionimarco, affirming his place as a master of timeless statements.
In a powerful display of African storytelling, Orange Culture’s creative director Adebayo Oke-Lawal dressed award-winning actor Brian Tyree Henry in a bold, emotionally charged custom look.
Grace Wales Bonner, whose work continues to blur the lines between sartorial excellence and cultural storytelling, offered not one but two striking moments. She styled FKA Twigs in a bespoke ensemble inspired by the iconic Josephine Baker, seamlessly tying past, present, and future in fabric. Her suit for Lewis Hamilton was a masterclass in historical narrative, wrapping the racing legend in a look that whispered of both ancestry and avant-garde.
Ib Kamara, creative director of Off-White, styled 49thVice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris in a commanding custom look that defined a political poise with editorial power.
Niyi Okuboyejo, the mind behind Post-Imperial, teamed up with the team at Monse to create a compelling ensemble for Taraji P. Henson.
South African fashion titan David Tlale brought his Spring/Summer 2025 collection to the Met Gala Carpet, dressing Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe in a regal ensemble that shimmered with South African pride. This look, supported by Africa Fashion International, South Africa.
London-based Nigerian designer Tolu Coker had Tyla twirling in one of her standout AW25 pieces.
Kente Gentlemen a label deeply rooted in Ivorian craft, also had a momentous showing with two commissioned looks via AFI, a testament to the growing global footprint of African sartorial heritage.
Making headlines with an unexpected but breathtaking collaboration, Torishéju dressed Kendall Jenner in a Torishéju collection.
Jude Dontoh, a Ghanaian designer to watch, brought a sonic energy to the carpet with his look for the one and only Ms. Lauryn Hill.
Bianca Robyn crafted an elegant and intricate look for Nick Jonas, in a cream cotton shirt with structured shoulders, a rose-sculpted tie, and silk-wrapped detailing that carried her SS25 collection’s signature sensibility.
Finally, saving the best for last, Ozwald Boateng, left an indelible mark on the carpet. Dressing a constellation of stars—Burna Boy, Tems, Jaden Smith, Issa Rae, Ayra Starr, Henry Golding, Omar Sy, Hope Smith, Colin Kaepernick, and Ncuti Gatwa
Black designers were the stars behind the spectacle. Their work wasn’t just worn; it was honored, heralded, and history-making.
