When South African talent meets global couture and a cause worth every cent. Draped in Jacquemus and walking in the footsteps of icons, Tyla turned the Met Gala into a moment of tribute, triumph and South African pride.
Global (06 May 2025) – The first Monday in May is always reserved for fashion’s most fabulous affair, and this year, South Africa’s Tyla turned heads once again at the 2025 Met Gala.
But while the gowns glittered and the carpet sizzled, the real headline might just be what the event achieved behind the scenes.
Fresh off her global “Water” success, Tyla arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a fitted off-the-shoulder dress designed by Jacquemus. And unlike her sandy, sculptural look from last year that nearly broke the internet (and a few necks trying to understand how it stayed up), this time she swapped sand for stripes… and served elegance with a side of legacy.
The look was completed with a dramatic coat and an exaggerated train that cascaded down the iconic Met steps in bold black-and-white stripes. More than just high fashion, the ensemble was a tribute to the late André Leon Talley, the legendary Vogue editor and fashion icon. Tyla’s stylist, Law Roach (who also dressed Zendaya this year), shared a video to his Instagram, confirming the homage and anchoring Tyla’s outfit in fashion history.
This year’s Met Gala theme (Superfine: Tailoring Black Style) drew from Monica L. Miller’s work exploring Black dandyism and the nuances of diasporic identity through fashion. The exhibit celebrated style as resistance, expression and storytelling… and we think Tyla’s look fit the brief perfectly.
But beyond the glitz and glamour, this year’s Met Gala made headlines for a completely different reason: it broke records. According to museum officials, the 2025 gala raised an eye-watering $31 million (over R500 million), the highest total in the event’s 77-year history. That’s not just a fashion win, that’s a serious philanthropic flex. The money raised goes directly to the Met’s Costume Institute, helping preserve and celebrate the art of fashion through curation, conservation and education. It supports everything from mounting exhibitions to acquiring new pieces that reflect fashion’s evolving story.
And it is an evolving story. One that Tyla, a very proud South African, is part of.
View this post on Instagram
by 