The first Monday of May is just two days away. Your screens are about to be flooded with everything Met Gala—and rightly so. This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, draws inspiration from Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. Both the exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the gala itself will celebrate fashion history through the lens of Black culture.
Teyana Taylor, La La Anthony, Ego Nwodim, and Emma Chamberlain will serve as this year’s Met Gala livestream hosts
%2520(1).jpg)
Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour will serve as co-chairs for the 2025 Met Gala, with LeBron James joining as an honorary co-chair. The dress code for the night is “Tailoring for You”, inviting attendees to creatively celebrate Black sartorial dynamism.
Before we dive into decoding the 2025 Met Gala, let’s take a moment to look back at the times Arab designers proudly represented the region—and celebrated their craft—on fashion’s grandest stage.
The year was 2007, and the celebrity was Rihanna—yes, the queen of the Met herself. At just nineteen, she made her Met Gala debut in a halter-neck, off-white Georges Chakra dress adorned with silver embellishments. Nearly two decades later, it feels poetically fitting that she remains a cultural touchstone as we celebrate Black dandyism in 2025—a theme that honours Black excellence in fashion and the power of personal style as a statement of identity.
Since then, a growing number of celebrities have turned to Arab excellence for their Met Gala moments—drawn to the region’s impeccable craftsmanship and distinct point of view. From Zuhair Murad to Elie Saab, here’s a look at the celebrities who have graced the Met steps in couture creations from the region.
For her first-ever Met Gala appearance in 2007, Rihanna quite literally shone bright like a diamond in a Georges Chakra number. The theme was “Poiret: King of Fashion”. In true RiRi style, she elevated the look with Cartier diamonds, black mesh gloves and a single red rose.
Leaving her Lizzie McGuire days behind, Hilary Duff made an elegant Met Gala debut in 2008, where the theme was “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy”. A true departure from her signature Y2K style, the singer–actor wore a strapless, form-flattering, silver gown by Elie Saab, delicately ornamented to perfection.
Every Elizabeth Hurley red carpet look is still referenced by fashion enthusiasts—she was and remains an ‘it’ girl for women of all ages. In 2009, Hurley teamed with Elie Saab for her Met Gala appearance. The English actor and model looked stunning in a champagne-hued, prom-style ball gown.
In 2010, for the “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity” theme, Jennifer Lopez collaborated with Lebanese designer Zuhair Murad, wearing an intricately embellished couture ensemble in a subtle shade of grey. J.Lo’s love for Arab designers is evident throughout her fashion history—but this is where it all began.
Actor–model Camila Morrone turned heads at the 2019 Met Gala in an asymmetrical blush pink, draped gown by Elie Saab. The look was completed with a stack of diamond bracelets, strappy silver heels and a mesh veil fascinator.
Former Victoria’s Secret Angel and supermodel Jasmine Tookes is a longtime Zuhair Murad loyalist. She chose to get married in a princess-esque gown by the Lebanese designer in 2021. The very next year, in 2022, Tookes attended the Met Gala in an emerald green draped gown by Murad—perfectly befitting the “Gilded Glamour” dress code.
.jpg)
%2520(1).jpg)
%2520(1).jpg)