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This year, the Met Gala embodied Black styling and the history of dandyism with the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” Asian designers were equally part of this celebration, dressing celebrities in impeccable ensembles. From Chinese couture designer Cheney Chan’s Met Gala debut to Met veteran Prabal Gurung, these designers brought refined craftsmanship and their own flavor to the blue carpet, worn by star-studded personalities.
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Cheney Chan
Known for blending his Chinese heritage with modern couture is designer Cheney Chan. Committed to making a name for himself, he built the first Oriental Fashion House in China. Today, he marries exquisite traditional handcraft and contemporary designs.
For Chan’s debut to the Met Gala, he dressed Lauryn Hill in a butter yellow, double-breasted suit with a sculptural feature on her shoulder. The curved contours aimed to resemble wings and a halo-like presence—a play on light while still keeping in theme.
Body of Work:
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Also on his first time at the Met Gala is Indian couture designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, sought-after by Bollywood stars, brides, and global celebrities. His works are known to blend traditional Indian craftsmanship and contemporary elegance.
The designer’s take on Dandyism was embodied by Indian actor and film producer Shah Rukh Khan. He wore a floor-length coat with wide lapels, a crepe de chine silk shirt, and tailored superfine wool trousers. Pulling together the bespoke look was a pleated satin kamarbandh, a stack of necklaces, rings, and a Bengal Tiger Head Crane crafted in 18K gold. Classic in all-black, but the accessories certainly gave off modern refinement.
Body of Work:
Manish Malhotra
One of Asia’s most celebrated couturiers, Manish Malhotra marked his Met Gala debut with pride and quiet conviction. With a prolific career that spanned over 30 years, he has redefined fashion in his bold and vibrant ways. And what better way to debut than to dress two personalities?
He dressed the businesswoman, philanthropist, and Indian fashion icon Natasha Poonawalla. Poonawalla was the picture of royalty in her custom ensemble that highlighted Indian Gara embroidery. From her fishtail skirt and her French lace bralette adorned with scalloped pearls to the theatrical lace cravat, her ensemble was a fusion of dandyism and heritage.
Malhotra also dressed American singer and actress Coco Jones. Much like Poonawalla, Jones brought regal energy to the blue carpet in a cream and white embroidered ensemble. There was drama in her coat itself, with silver, cream, and white botanicals cascading down the floor. The ensemble was a power move and a dandy moment itself.
Body of Work:
Priya Ahluwalia
Indian-Nigerian creative director and designer Priya Ahluwalia explores how vintage and surplus clothing can be given new life through textile and patchwork techniques. A big believer in sustainability, she made sure to keep her identity well alive in the blue carpet, along with the theme of Black dandyism. This year, the designer made her Met Gala debut alongside first timers.
The White Lotus star and BAFTA-winning actress Aimee Lou Wood wore a cropped coat with silk lapels and a draped skirt. Each element of her ensemble was intentional, from the brooch placement to the flower motifs on her heels. The look was a celebration of heritage and global liberation—values that Wood and Ahluwalia believed in.
Ahluwalia also dressed Olympic Gold medalist Gabby Thomas, who donned a red dress with a mermaid tail skirt. It featured a vest with an additional off-shoulder sleeves, beadwork that traced movement and memory, and a cheeky cutout by the abdomen. Not only was this a nod to Thomas’ way of showing up in sport, culture, and history, but it was also an ode to her heritage.
Body of Work:
Vera Wang
Renowned Chinese-American designer Vera Wang returned to the scene wearing her own creation: an ivory jersey draped gown with a low cowl neckline and a French gray feather appliquéd skirt accented with jet black feather lapels. This time, Wang dressed just one personality for the most anticipated fashion event.
Keke Palmer channeled the first Black Oscar Nominee for Best Actress, Dorothy Dandridge. In paying tribute to her and her African American success, Palmer and Wang’s ideas merges femininity into men’s suiting. From the fitted ivory bodice, lapel neckpiece, and black tuxedo pants to the bubble-hemmed ball skirt, an embroidery of Swarovski crystals and glass pearls, and the ostrich feather headband, their interpretation of Black dandyism was bold, graceful, and entirely her own.
Body of Work:
Robert Wun
Very much familiar with the theatrics and themes of the Met Gala, Hong Kong-born designer Robert Wun has yet again graced the occasion with his haute couture designs. His works have been known for impressive storytelling while incorporating modern artistry and craftsmanship. This year, he designed for American rapper Shaboozey.
Shaboozey’s debut was nothing short of impressive. He wore a dandy-inspired black moiré suit, its coattails trailing behind him. The showstopper? The turquoise beaded chains accented with jet black crystal beads. With an outfit as dandy as the rapper himself, it was certainly a Met Gala debut to remember.
Body of Work:
Prabal Gurung
The Nepalese-American designer was first invited to the Met Gala in 2010. Since his debut, he has made it a point to invite people of all colors—Asians, Latinx, Black, and indigenous. 15 years later, the Met Gala has changed in many ways, from the diversity of the attendees to the many designers discovered all over the world. Already an experienced Met Gala guest, Gurung dressed four personalities this year.
The Colombian singer Shakira arrived on the blue carpet in pink. She donned a corseted trumpet gown with a silk hand-draped bubble train trailing behind her. She may have missed the memo, but she was still a picture of elegance.
Indian singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh brought his heritage to the Met Gala. In an ivory and gold maharaja suit, he highlighted the hand-embroidered golden thread of his ensemble, his turban, and the talwar, or the curved sword, in his hand. Indeed, Dosanjh brought out his culture’s own Dandyism.
Truly embodying the “Tailored to Perfection” dress code, American model Precious Lee commanded attention in a bedazzling brown catsuit and an animal-print, feather-trimmed cape. This ensemble paid homage to journalist André Leon Talley, who, in her opinion, was the “ultimate fashion dandy.”
Lastly is American singer and dancer Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls. To her Met Gala debut, she wore a sparkling pinstripe dress with a plunging neckline. She paired her dress with a dramatic black cape with white trimming. It truly was a moment that was tailored for her, and her debut will surely be one to remember.
Body of Work:
On a night that celebrated Black dandyism, Asian designers embodied this in many ways—from incorporating the personalities’ dandy stories to fusing their heritage and cultures into the garments. One thing was for sure: All these outfits were deeply personal and undeniably original.
Featured Image and Photos: ALANA PALAU, FELICITY KAY, VERA WANG, SABYASACHI MUKHERJEE, MANISH MALHOTRA, NATASHA POONAWALLA, COCO JONES, MAEVE REILLY, PRIYA AHLUWALIA, RO MORGAN, SHABOOZEY, SHAKIRA, DILJIT DOSANJH, PRECIOUS LEE, NICOLE SCHERZINGER (via Instagram) CHENEY CHAN, SABYASACHI, AHLUWALIA, VERA WANG, ROBERT WUN, PRABAL GURUNG, MANISH MALHOTRA (via Website)
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