Met Gala: Was that Rosa Parks on Blackpink Lisa's lingerie?
What's the story
K-pop sensation Lisa, who recently marked her acting debut in The White Lotus 3, is at the center of controversy for her outfit choice for the 2025 Met Gala.
The Thai singer, 28, wore a Louis Vuitton ensemble that appeared to bear an illustration of civil rights icon Rosa Parks's face on her lingerie.
The event, hosted at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, saw Lisa in a pearl-encrusted black blazer and sheer tights with Vuitton's signature symbols.
Artist details
The people behind Lisa's controversial outfit
Initially, online fashion police were amused by the tiny faces' detailing on Lisa's pants-less outfit, but once the supposed positioning of Parks's face was spotted, praise turned into backlash.
The Blackpink member's outfit was designed by Henry Taylor, a celebrated Black artist known for his distinct style of embroidering small pieces of art onto clothing.
LV men's creative director and 2025 Met Gala co-chair, Pharrell Williams, had commissioned the artist.
Quote
'The lace replicates elements of an artwork...': Louis Vuitton
When the uproar spread widely, the fashion house gave out a statement. "The lace replicates elements of an artwork by the American artist Henry Taylor depicting portraits of figures who have been a part of the artist's life," Louis Vuitton told The New York Times. Williams collaborated with Taylor for his debut show in Paris, too.
Public reaction
However, social media users weren't satisfied
Social media platforms didn't pay much heed to the safe statement, and criticism aimed at Lisa continued.
One tweet expressed discontent, stating, "Using Rosa Parks's image in this manner appears to be a blatant lack of respect and sensitivity toward her legacy and the struggles she faced during the Civil Rights Movement."
Another comment read, "Lisa needs to fire her whole PR team at this point. Why is [Rosa] Parks on your p - girl!!!"
Theme controversy
Did the ensemble fit Met Gala's theme?
Criticism has also been leveled against how Lisa's outfit fits into the Met Gala's theme for this year, Tailored for You.
The theme is tied to the Met's Superfine: Tailoring Black Style exhibit, which is a "cultural and historical examination of black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism."
Critics have asked how Lisa's outfit fits into this theme.
What did you think of this supposed tribute?