Nigeria @ The 2025 Met Gala
An ode to the contributions of Nigerian and Nigerian-diasporic talent to fashion's most prestigious event.
What’d Issa Rae say? I’m rooting for everybody (Nigerian)!
Welcome back, loggers! First of all, a huge thank you to our Substack community (both old and newly recruited) for hanging with us on the notes tab for 24+ hours during our Met content delivery. We had a time, honey!
I have so much commentary that my mind could literally explode, and although today's log isn't a complete offload, I believe this fraction is a damn good start.
The Met Gala, which is dubbed the biggest night in fashion, is a global stage for the collision of art and peak creativity. The theme for this year's edition was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, with the exhibition inspired by Monica L. Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, the first time the gala celebrated Black fashion in its 77-year run, and, Boy, did Black folk not come to play!
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC felt a triumphant Nigerian presence, as our country's contributions and dominance in African artistry shone brightly, further proving that our creative pulse is one to be reckoned with. So this article honors the Nigerian luminaries; designers, muses, and stylists, who made the 2025 Met Gala (pre-gala, during, and after the event) a display of elegance, innovation, and cultural pride.
Before we get into fashion details, a minute of silence for the Met’s careless failure to invite Nigerian-American model and influencer Wisdom Kaye to return for his sophomore year at the gala. Considering his style, hard work, and bank of knowledge, I will continue to scream that this decision was lazy and distasteful.
The Designers
Orange Culture
Adebayo Oke-Lawal’s Orange Culture was first seen on Daryl Dismond (in a number from Spring/Summer 2025) as part of the fashion portfolio put together by Vogue in collaboration with GQ, and later a custom outfit on Brian Tyree Henry at the gala. The serve? Impeccable, and I need a lot of commotion for the drape. Brian's cape is a damask kimono, a reminiscent of the OG Dandy, André Leon Talley. The color, oversized blazer, silver chain, black leather boots, gloves, and tie, with his brooch blending with the damask print, are just ugh, ridiculously beautiful!
Deji & Kola
Another indigenous brand present on the blue carpet was the glorious Deji & Kola, as seen on NFL player Jonathan Owens and Fashion Bomb Daily’s CEO Claire Sulmers. Zoom in on both fabrics to see the detailing. Owens’ look suggests Black Royalty, as expected from an all-white ensemble, a fur cape, and a cane! His jacket is made out of Aso Oke, which is native to the Yoruba tribe, and embedded with glass beads.
Sulmers was styled by Nigeria's finest, Swanky Jerry, in a three-piece suit.
I found out I was going to the Met Gala just a week ago. With the theme in mind, I reached out to one of the most stylish Black dandies I know—Swanky Jerry 🇳🇬. Without hesitation, he sketched a look, had a custom 3-piece suit and cape made by Deji & Kola, and personally flew it over “across 7 seas” to deliver it himself. ~Claire Sulmers
Ofuure
Nigerian on Nigerian! I lost my composure the moment I saw Ichafu on the carpet. A headscarf from the Igbo tribe at the Met? I am still in awe! Obehi Imarenezor carried out her duties as Cocoa Butter’s correspondent in a three-piece Ankara skirt-suit made by one of my favorite Nigerian-American brands, Ofuure. I appreciate the color and pattern so much, because the majority of the outfits we saw were dull and predictable. I was begging for a little more beauty and fun, which is why this look was one of them ones that thoroughly pleased me.
In a year where the spotlight was on "Superfine Tailoring: Black Style," it was important for me to honor that legacy in my own way by blending tradition and fashion through a Nigerian ichafu and an Ankara suit by Ofuure. Dandyism with cultural pride. Afro elegance in full bloom.I didn't just show up, I showed up rooted in who I am. And no one can take that from me! ~Obehi Imarenezor
Yemi Shoyemi
Another ‘Nigerian on Nigerian’ moment. I don't have carpet pictures of Arise’s correspondent, Seyitan Atigarin, wearing Yemi Shoyemi, but here's a GRWM content that I found on her Instagram.
Tolu Coker
In the days leading up to the First Monday Night in May, Tyla hit NYC streets in Tolu Coker FW25 styled by Law Roach. If you know your fashion news, Tolu Coker is an LVMH Prize finalist, whose design(s) I was looking forward to seeing on the carpet as her fashion house is a dandy statement for the ladies, but this one will have to be enough for now.
Eleven Sixteen
Thunderous applause for Ugo Mozie 👏🏽 Ugo Mozie’s Eleven Sixteen was seen on Diana Ross, Evan Ross, and Kwame Onwuachi on the carpet, and on Colman Domingo at Wayman and Micah's pre-Met party.
Diana Ross had one of the most memorable looks from Monday night with her 20-foot cape featuring names of her children and grandchildren hand-stitched with Swarovski crystals to mimic the shape of vines on a tree. After a 22-year hiatus from the Met Ball, this was very befitting for a glorious comeback. Her son, Evan Ross, escorted her to the gala in a suit that pays tribute to Diana and Michael Jackson (it resembles the Billie Jean outfit Michael wore during his 30th anniversary performance in 2001).
For the creator of the 2025 Met Gala food menu and James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi, Ugo put him in a look designed and made back home in Nigeria. His crown is adorned with gemstones sourced from the country by Mina Stones and custom-carved bronzes from Benin City by Blackadudu. It also warmed my heart to see Colman Domingo, fashion himself, unconsciously following the ‘Wear Nigerian’ trend in the most beautiful color and texture for a suit. Iconic!
Adding to Ugo’s list are custom leather boots he designed for Scott Evans, which were made by 313eko in Lagos.
Post Imperial
Niyi Okuboyeja’s Post Imperial, in collaboration with Monse, was worn by Taraji P. Henson on the carpet and at an after-party. Amazing colors. Amazing proportions. Amazing styling.
Torishéju
Another LVMH Prize finalist, Torishéju Dumi, featured her designs on Julez Smith and Imaan Hammam (from her SS25 collection) for Vogue & GQ’s lookbook, and on Kendall Jenner at the Met Gala.
The look I designed for Kendall draws inspiration from the bold elegance of 1920s Harlem Renaissance women and the unapologetic menswear reinvention of Gladys Bentley. Reimagined through sharp tailoring and a sensual, feminine silhouette, and infused with elements of Nigerian lapa and wrapper attire, the design is a celebration of tradition meeting modernity. ~Torishéju
Chuks Collins
The last of the designers is Chuks Collins' eponymous brand, showcased on Nessa Naib. He pulled the dress from his upcoming collection, Nné, which he describes as a celebration of maternal grace, identity, and ancestral elegance. I am in love with the sculptural tailoring, and the cropped cape is by Moncler × Edward Enninful.
The Stars
Tems, Burna Boy, and Ayra Starr were part of Ozwald Boateng's army of muses seen on the carpet. Each musician's silhouette excites me, the fabrics and colors too.
Other Nigerian-born or of Nigerian descent stars also graced the carpet in great outfits, but I was most intrigued by Ayo Edebiri in custom Ferragamo (which I did predict for her), especially because the coral beads on her dress and in her hair were a nod to her Edo heritage in the South-South region of Nigeria.
Following closely on my list of striking looks were country artist Shaboozey, British Vogue’s Head of Editorial Content Chioma Nnadi, and Damson Idris… I loved his whole F1 theatrics, and cannot wait for the movie to drop!
The Stylists
Ugo Mozie
In addition to designing outfits for the Met, Ugo Mozie also styled some non-nigerian stars in Marco Falcioni’s BOSS. His muses included Alton Mason, Khaby Lame, James Corden, and Julia Carey.
Swanky Jerry
As already highlighted in The Designers column, Swanky Jerry styled Claire Sulmers in custom Deji & Kola.
The Photographer
Gabriel Moses
I’m sure a number of Nigerian photographers were involved in this year's event, but a huge shout out to Gabriel… absolutely loved his content for Louis Vuitton, and I know there is more in the vault. Release the tapes! P.S. If you are in London, go see his exhibition at 180 Studios. He’s showcasing over 70 photographs and 10 films from his work across the worlds of fashion, music, and sport. It runs until the 27th of July.
Best believe I’ll be back in your inbox this coming Saturday at 4:00 p.m. WAT with another beautiful log inspired by a small but important part of Monday’s Met Gala. Wanna take a wild guess?
For more fashion content from this part of Africa, stick around for coverage of the 11th African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) on the Substack app, and I just might see you in your inbox in the aftermath.
To Saturday’s AMVCA attendees and their stylists, a piece of advice (which might be a little too late)… I’m going to need the men to retire the typical jackets (a global problem, I fear). I want to see you in Ugo Monye, JZO (because if you must wear a suit, that one denim look WILL slap), Emmy Kasbit, Lagos Space Programme (LSP) SS25, and Orange Culture. I beg you, please throw all your dull colors and plain fabrics in the bin and embrace light this one time.
And most of all, somebody has to do me a favor and style Fruché's SS25 trench coat!
Now to the ladies, there is no way we have only 3 designers in Lagos! I need y’all to free the masses (and me!) from the shackles of ‘rinse and repeat.’
You have a well of options right under your nose—utilize it! Give me custom Lisa Folawiyo (her fully gemstone-embellished numbers are a madness, and yes, the SS25 collection as well). I need to see you in custom Tubo, Kadiju, Desirée Iyama (you know what dress I’m referring to, customize the look in all 3 colorways), Asọ Nigeria, Kílèntár, etc.
I believe in you. And by all means necessary, please believe in yourself.
While we are re-evaluating the fashion, I plead, can we (read: organizers in fashion and entertainment) finally embrace the real-time red carpet photos? I propose that we relax the year in, year out studio-ish, as it is totally exhausting for consumers and promoters of the culture. We need photos from the same carpet and not ten pictures with ten different backgrounds.
Thank you in advance 💚
My commentary from the last AMVCA is somewhere in here ⬇️
Naija Lately: Exciting Looks I Spotted On Some Stars
If a foreigner asked you to describe Naija in a word or two off the top of your head, what would you say? My response might be ‘glitz and glam' or anything along the lines of peak beauty and entertainment.
Oh, the Cannes Film Festival is back from the 12th of May. Let's have ourselves a ball, loggers!
See you soon — and if you’d like to support my creative process, a coffee or two would be much appreciated 💚
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