The Best Of British Design At The Met Gala 2025
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3 days ago
All the British designers who made a mark at this year's Met Gala
ICYMI: the biggest night in global fashion took place last night. Celebrities flocked to the red (read: blue, floral) carpet to showcase the very best in design and craftsmanship through this year’s theme (‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’) and dress code (‘Tailored For You’). And while the global stage was set, it was a cohort of British designers that impressed at this year’s Met Gala. Here are all the highlights.
The Met Gala 2025: 5 British Designers Who Wowed
Ozwald Boateng
Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng OBE marked his milestone 40th anniversary in the fashion industry by bringing British craftsmanship and African authenticity to the Met Gala carpet. The designer dressed not one, not two, but 14 attendees this year – including himself – and specifically channelled the Harlem Renaissance to create looks that, ‘don’t just turn heads – they start revolutions.’
‘This is my heart on the red carpet,’ Boateng said of the evening. ‘Every stitch carries a story of heritage, rebellion, and joy. This Gala isn’t just about fashion; it’s about who we are and who we’ll become.’
(L to R) Jaden Smith, Tems, Ncuti Gatwa (c) Courtesy of Ozwald Boateng
Those who wore Ozwald Boateng to the 2025 Met Gala included Jaden Smith, who the designer dubbed a ‘futuristic warrior’ in an oversized blazer and wide-leg trousers; Tems, who debuted the designer’s first ever ball gown suit, consisting of a sharply tailored waistcoat and full skirt in Boateng’s signature tribal jacquard; and Ncuti Gatwa, who stepped out in the House’s signature colour, wearing a purple suit made from textured silk jacquard Kente cloth. Other notable Met Gala attendees wearing the British designer included Issa Rae, Burna Boy, Colin Kaepernick and Henry Golding.
Ahluwalia
British-Indian-Nigerian designer Priya Ahluwalia is known for how her creations explore identity through the lens of multiculturalism – an approach which translated perfectly for this year’s Met Gala theme. Ahluwalia dressed a handful of attendees for the event, creating custom looks in collaboration with each attendee to fully address the dress code ‘Tailored For You’.
The White Lotus alum Aimee Lou Wood wore a deconstructed suit-dress for the occasion, with the designer noting that the look, ‘draws on the rich cultural tapestry of the Black diaspora, and is most specifically influenced by the vibrant and revolutionary spirit of the “Saupers”, who represent the dandy subculture in Congo. Other inspiration for the look came from archive imagery of Black American dandies and some archive imagery of Diana Ross’s tailoring looks.’
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American athlete Gabrielle Thomas, meanwhile, wore a red gown with more architectural suiting elements (and doubled up on the British brands with a bespoke makeup look by Charlotte Tilbury). ‘I wanted to create something that felt powerful and “takes up space” whilst also feeling truly elegant,’ said Ahluwalia. ‘It was important for both Gabby and I to celebrate the poise of Black style. Inspiration for the design came from looking at archive imagery of Josephine Baker, tailoring during the Harlem Renaissance, traditional Nigerian dress and the work by painter Jacob Lawrence.’
Wales Bonner
Blending European fashion and Afro-Atlantic expression on the Met Gala carpet this year, British designer Grace Wales Bonner MBE saw the event as a ‘cherished opportunity to celebrate the inspirations, codes, and craft signatures at the core of [her] brand.’ The designer created a string of stunning looks for this year’s cohort, alongside fine jewellery (the brand’s first iterations) produced in partnership with lab-grown diamond company SNOW Diamonds, opera boots, shoes and heels crafted in collaborating with Manolo Blahnik, and crystal embroidery made with Swarovski.
Wales Bonner, who also acted as a member of the host committee, created bespoke looks for a long list of attendees: photographer Tyler Mitchell, musician FKA Twigs, actor Jeff Goldblum, musician and actor Omar Apollo, artist Eric N. Mack, curator Antwaun Sargent, stylist Eric McNeal and curator of this year’s Met Gala exhibition, Monica L. Miller.
Jeff Goldblum in Wales Bonner (c) Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
But the standout look came from Met Gala co-chair and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who was dressed in a white suit inspired by the paintings and photographs of Barkley L. Hendricks, elements of Black spiritual dressing and Wales Bonner’s own craft signatures. Consisting of a wool overcoat, tailcoat, tuxedo trousers, a trouser braid and waistband, the look was topped off with Wales Bonner jewellery and a satin-detailed beret made by British milliner Stephen Jones.
Speaking on his Met Gala outfit, Hamilton noted how, ‘From the moment I heard the theme of this year’s Met Gala, I knew I wanted to work with Grace Wales Bonner. This look has taken months of research and development. Every detail has been deeply considered—there’s a lot of emotion and meaning woven into this. This is more than a suit, this is ancestral history. Stylish, spiritual, and sharp. Thank you, Grace.’
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Casely Hayford
Another London tailor poised to take the spotlight was Charlie Casely-Hayford, co-founder of Casely Hayford. The designer, who also attended the Met Gala in a self-made look, was tasked with creating an outfit for former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful.
‘Creating this outfit for Edward has been an inspiring journey, uniting his visionary perspective with the modern craft passed down through two generations of our tailoring tradition,’ Casely-Hayford told Esquire UK. ‘For this year’s Met Gala, we wanted to create something that honours Edward’s legacy and embodies the theme of ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.’ His look is more than clothing – it’s a piece of thoughtful storytelling, celebrating the enduring legacy of Black elegance and cultural pride.’
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Enninful’s custom outfit paid homage to several eminent Black figures: W.E.B. Du Bois, a sociologist, historian and Pan-African civil rights activist, JE Casely-Hayford, the lawyer, writer, politician and leading voice in the Pan-African movement from the Gold Coast, and his wife, Adelaide Smith Casely-Hayford, who championed African heritage and women’s education. The resulting three-piece suit and tails ‘reimagined the legacy of Black elegance and individuality,’ said Enninful. ‘Having known Charlie’s father Joe very well, this has been an even more touching tribute to him too, and I couldn’t be more proud to be honouring our past and future together on this global stage.’
Burberry
The celebrities came in droves for Burberry, with the heritage label dressing 10 attendees for this year’s Met Gala. Creative director Daniel Lee dressed his cohort in structured jacquard velvet, deconstructed tuxedo elements and scale-defying accessories.
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Those dressed for the occasion included actress Jodie Turner-Smith, who wore a burgundy bustle coat, sunflower-jacquard corset and shirt, ankle boots and a hat by Esenshel; musician Cardi B, who stepped out in a floral-damask coat in moat green and trousers with beaded fringing, complete with cummerbund and thistle brooch; and stylist Law Roach, who donned a vine-jacquard velvet tailcoat, tuxedo trousers with side stripes, cummerbund and ankle boots.
Roach also styled fellow attendee André 3000, who made quite the entrance in a boilersuit detailed with umbrella embroidery, a twisted bolero and a striped rugby top – as well as a baby grand piano strapped to his back.
Cardi B in Burberry (c) Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Watch The Highlights
You can catch up on all the highlights from the 2025 Met Gala below:
For all the details on this year’s theme, dress code and co-chairs, you can read our guide here.
