This year’s Met Gala, with its theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” celebrated the fusion of craftsmanship, culture, and style, highlighting the enduring influence of Black fashion. African designers embraced this theme by incorporating traditional textiles, intricate tailoring, and cultural storytelling into their creations. These designers not only paid homage to their roots but also redefined what it means to blend heritage with high fashion.
Here are seven African designers whose work made a statement on the iconic Met Gala red carpet.
Ugo Mozie
Ugo Mozie, a Nigerian-born designer and stylist, made waves at the 2025 Met Gala with his standout designs, reflecting this year’s theme centred on personal history and heritage. Mozie brought this theme to life through thoughtful design and unique styling, showcasing his deep connection to his roots.
Diana Ross made a grand return to the Met Gala after two decades, wearing an 18-foot train white crystal-embellished gown with a feathered cape designed by Mozie’s brand, Eleven Sixteen. The cape, personalised with the names of her children and grandchildren, added a special touch. Mozie also dressed her son, Evan Ross, for the occasion.
Chef Kwame Onwuachi showcased a striking black striped outfit, paired with a crown made of Nigeria-sourced gemstones and bronzes from Benin. Colman Domingo also appeared in a custom Eleven Sixteen design.
In addition to his custom creations, Mozie collaborated with BOSS to style Khaby Lame in a grey three-piece suit adorned with pocket watches. He also styled Alton Mason in a black cape over a crystal two-piece and James Corden in a tailored formal look. Mozie even designed a custom boot for Scott Evans.
Starting his design journey as a teenager in Houston, Mozie’s work continues to be deeply inspired by his Nigerian heritage, blending traditional elements with contemporary fashion to create truly remarkable pieces.
Ozwald Boateng
British-Ghanaian designer Ozwald Boateng, known for redefining classic tailoring with African influence, brought his distinct style to the 2025 Met Gala, themed “Tailored for You.” Born in London to Ghanaian parents, Boateng began tailoring as a teenager and became the first Savile Row tailor to present a catwalk show in Paris.
For this year’s gala, he styled a wide range of celebrities. Tems wore a blue Ankara suit dress with a green cravat and umbrella; Burna Boy appeared in a red tuxedo with a yellow shirt and oxblood eel skin cape; Ayra Starr wore a black high-slit gown with a lapel collar. Issa Rae chose a black three-piece ensemble.
Ozwald Boateng also dressed Jaden Smith in a suit with black and white Kente tweed cape; Colin Kaepernick in a regal royal red Kente three-piece suit; and Henry Golding in a gold-patterned ensemble. Other stars he styled included Omar Sy, Hope Smith, and Ncuti Gatwa.
Read also: Pictures: Burna boy, Chimamanda, Ayra starr shine at 2025 MET Gala
Thebe Magugu
For his first appearance on the Met Gala carpet, South African designer Thebe Magugu debuted his label’s first couture look, worn by Aurora James. The ensemble drew inspiration from the female muses of Central and West African portrait photography in the 1950s and 1960s, particularly the works of Seydou Keïta, Malick Sidibé, and Mama Casset. The gown, crafted from 12 metres of chemically crushed chiffon in a shade called Thorn Tree Brown, featured a high-neck with a foulard tie and was layered over a structured duchess satin undergarment with a corseted back. It took 120 hours to make. The look was completed with a sculptural headpiece inspired by the gele, a traditional head wrap worn by Yoruba women and widely across West and Central Africa.
Born in Kimberley and based in Johannesburg, Magugu is known for blending fashion with storytelling and cultural commentary. He launched his namesake label in 2017 and gained international recognition after winning the 2019 LVMH Young Fashion Designer Prize. He was also a finalist for the 2021 International Woolmark Prize, and has collaborated with major brands like Dior, Adidas, and AZ Factory. Magugu’s Met Gala look reflects his ongoing commitment to reframing African narratives through fashion. As he noted, “Black fashion draws from a tapestry of references: ancestral textiles, church elegance, streetwear ingenuity, Afrofuturist visions… It’s about freedom, identity, and storytelling.
Orange Culture
For his Met Gala debut, Nigerian designer Adebayo Oke-Lawal delivered a bold and memorable statement through his brand, Orange Culture, dressing American actor Brian Tyree Henry in a custom creation. The outfit was a layered masterpiece: a red two-piece suit paired with a white shirt, black tie, and knee-length boots, all draped in a textured red-and-gold coat that radiated confidence and complexity.
Since launching in 2010/2011, the brand has carved a unique space in fashion by challenging gender norms and blending Nigerian heritage with modern silhouettes. Every piece speaks to fluidity, identity, and the freedom to self-define. Oke-Lawal’s work is deeply rooted in confronting hypermasculinity and telling African stories through a fresh, unapologetic lens. His designs explore how fashion can be both artistic and activist, cutting across tradition, queerness, youth culture, and global relevance. His impact has not gone unnoticed. In 2014, Orange Culture was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize, and in 2022, Oke-Lawal was named to the BOF 500, a list of fashion’s most influential voices. He’s collaborated with major names including Huawei and Davido, the latter resulting in a limited collection sold at Selfridges, making him the first Nigerian designer to be stocked by the iconic London store.
From features in Vogue, The Guardian, CNN, BET, and The New York Times, to runway showings in Lagos, London, and New York, Orange Culture continues to push boundaries. The brand’s gender-fluid ethos and vibrant storytelling have earned it a place in global museums, including two showings at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
With celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o, Dua Lipa, Tiwa Savage, and Ncuti Gatwa wearing his pieces, Oke-Lawal is reshaping the narrative of African fashion, one runway, red carpet, and museum at a time.
DejiandKola
This year’s Met Gala saw a refined display of African luxury fashion, courtesy of Deji & Kola, the brand founded by Nigerian designers Ayodeji Adebayo and Kolapo Olabintan. Making a strong statement on the iconic Met steps, NFL star Jonathan Owens and media entrepreneur Claire Sulmers were both outfitted in custom looks by the label.
Owens stunned in an all-white ensemble crafted from handwoven Aso Oke, a nod to Nigeria’s rich textile heritage. His look featured a knitted tuxedo jacket, flared trousers, and a dramatic fur shawl draped across his shoulder. Claire Sulmers matched the moment with a bold red monochrome look: a three-piece suit layered with a sweeping cape, effortlessly blending power and grace.
Founded in 2017, DejiandKola has carved out a reputation as a leader in premium, made-to-order suits, shirts, and traditional African wear. Their mission is simple yet powerful, to combine technical precision, design research, and premium materials to create timeless pieces with a distinctly African soul.
Chuks Collins
Nigerian-born designer Chuks Collins brought powerful storytelling to the Met Gala red carpet this year through a striking gown worn by American TV and radio personality Nessa Nitty. Titled “An Ode to Mama,” the piece is part of Collins’ upcoming Spring/Summer 2025 “Nné Collection”—a heartfelt tribute to maternal legacy, ancestral grace, and the layered beauty of Black identity.
Crafted from black silk and detailed with a corset bodice, the gown is a striking reinterpretation of dandyism through a Black cultural lens. The ensemble was completed with a cropped puffer cape from the Moncler x EE72 by Edward Enninful collaboration, featuring Moncler’s signature boudin quilting. Together, the look fused heritage craftsmanship with bold sculptural tailoring, balancing strength, softness, and style.
Sharing the moment on Instagram, he wrote: “This look speaks to the power of showing up fully – in strength, softness, and style. Nessa, you brought the vision to life with such grace.”
Born in the UK and raised between England and Nigeria, Chuks’ design journey began with the lessons of his grandmother in tailoring. Those early teachings became the foundation for a unique voice in fashion, one that merges cultural memory with modern elegance. After gaining experience consulting for brands like Guinness, Vice, and Ralph Lauren, Collins launched his namesake brand in 2018. What began as a bespoke tailoring studio has grown into a full-fledged fashion house offering both couture and ready-to-wear collections for men and women. At its core, the Chuks Collins Brand champions personal self-expression rooted in identity, culture, and craftsmanship.
Hanifa
Hanifa, the fashion label founded by the self-taught Anifa Mvuemba, made a striking appearance at this year’s Met Gala, thanks to Savannah James, entrepreneur and wife of honorary co-chair LeBron James. The outfit featured a stunning burgundy striped pattern, with a corset-detailed jacket and a flowing mermaid-style skirt, complete with a dramatic wide train. The design effortlessly blended sophistication with contemporary flair, embodying Hanifa’s signature elegance.
Anifa Mvuemba’s journey to success is as impressive as her designs. The Congolese-American designer built Hanifa from the ground up, teaching herself everything from sewing to graphic design and website creation. Starting her brand in Washington D.C. in her early twenties, Anifa’s dedication and self-determination have paid off, earning her recognition from icons like Beyoncé and fashion enthusiasts worldwide. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Anifa moved to the U.S. as a young child with her parents, who had fled the war in Congo. It was her mother, with her bold red lips and impeccable tailored suits, who first sparked Anifa’s passion for fashion. Her eye for detail and love of fine jewelry continue to influence Hanifa’s designs, which combine bold innovation with timeless craftsmanship.
