Culture
Tems, Burna Boy, Ayo Edebiri & More Nigerian Stars Gave the Met Gala a Masterclass in African Style
From Burna Boy’s regal layers to Chimamanda’s Prabal Gurung red flowing dress, Nigerian stars made the 2025 Met Gala a night of unapologetic storytelling through style.
Photo credit: Chimaamanda Ngozi Adichie/Instagram
There was something electric in the air at this year’s Met Gala. With the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the night called for more than fashion, it demanded presence, history, and intention. And Nigeria’s finest answered.
Each look carried the weight of legacy and the excitement of now. Whether through tailoring, textile, or silhouette, these stars arrived not just to be seen, but to say something: about culture, about home, about who gets to define style on fashion’s biggest night.
From literary brilliance to musical royalty, here’s how Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Burna Boy, Tems, Ayra Starr, and Ayo Edebiri brought their stories to the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie:The Lady in Red
Chimamanda’s first Met Gala appearance came with extra weight, she was also one of the night’s co-hosts. Dressed in a crimson couture gown by Prabal Gurung, her look carried the sharpness of tailored menswear details—bows, feathers, structure—softened by a sweeping train. It was commanding yet poetic, echoing her body of work.
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Ayo Edebiri: Edo Heritage Meets Haute Couture
Ayo walked the carpet in a Ferragamo dress embellished with coral beading, an homage to traditional Edo attire. The look nodded to her father’s sense of style and her mixed Nigerian and Bajan heritage. It was quiet in its statement but rich with meaning, pulling personal memory into a new silhouette.
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Burna Boy: The African Giant in Regal Layers
Afrobeats super star Burna Boy brought regal cool to the Met carpet. He collaborated with British-Ghanaian designer Ozwald Boateng to create a a tailored red wool tuxedo layered under an oxblood eel skin cape. The cape, drawing from his Niger Delta heritage, symbolised royalty and survival in equal measure. No much words were needed. His presence did the talking.
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Tems: Ankara Elegance
Tems wore a blue ankara suit-dress paired with a green cravat and umbrella. It was a confident nod to traditional West African fabric, styled for the now. She stood firm in texture and silhouette, holding space for tradition in the heart of high fashion.
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Ayra Starr: Celestial Glam Meets Rock Royalty
Making her Met Gala debut, Ayra Starr donned a sleek black suit with bright blue nails, her birthstone colour. The ensemble was a modern take on classic tailoring, reflecting her unique style and the event’s celebration of Black fashion.
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