The Coolest Multicultural Stars at the MET GALA 2021

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I never understood the hype around fashion until most recently when I became a founder and editor of this digital media platform. Fashion to me used to seem so frivolous, extravagant, vain and just expensive to even fathom. I am ashamed to say that prior to being fully immersed in the media , I always judged those who bragged about what designers they were wearing. In my mind, who cares? I cared about those working at the forefront of global development, talking about eradicating poverty, the Sustainable Development Goals and changing the world through business and so on. The fact is fashion is actually at the forefront of activism and impact more than I realized. The fashion industry serves as a platform for communication about the times we live in, the people who rule the era and the values being upheld. 

Given TANTV’s niche interest as a space that aims to provide smart journalism for the African diaspora , our attention on documenting the diaspora spans across all facets. Just like the majority of existing media outlets we admire, fashion is at the helm. 

As fashion depicts the times we live in, it requires accurate representation, to tell the stories of the diversity that exists in a society. When you see yourself, your culture or values represented in a fashion magazine, at NYFW or the MET GALA, it generates a sense of inclusion. 

When it comes to inclusivity, the fashion industry has certainly made progress on the runways and behind the seams but there is still room for more of us Africans and multicultural individuals. 

The Met ball, or Met gala, is the fashion world equivalent of the Oscars. It’s an evening when designers, models, and Hollywood stars convene in the year’s most over-the-top looks to celebrate and fundraise at a new exhibit from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Typically, everyone dresses to the theme, and according to the feel of the exhibit; past themes have included camp, religion, punk, and more.  Typically held on the first Monday in May, this year, the event was postponed due to COVID-19 and fell right in the middle of fashion month. 

Fashion’s biggest night was held at its usual location: the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The gala was in celebration of the Costume Institute’s newest exhibition, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” the style is all about modern America, playing up tropes of expression and individuality. The exhibition opens to the public in the Anna Wintour Costume Center on September 18th.

TANTV has selected some of the coolest Africans and multicultural celebrities who shined on the red-carpet:

Rihanna in Balenciaga Couture, Maria Tash, Thelma West and BVLGARI jewelry and A$AP Rocky in ERL

Michaela Coel in Balenciaga

Iman in Dolce&Gabbana x Harris Reed

Amanda Gorman in Vera Wang

Lupita Nyong’o in Versace

Naomi Osaka in Louis Vuitton 

Normani in Valentino and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams in Chanel

Whoopi Goldberg, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Carey Mulligan in Valentino

Tomi Adeyemi and Giveon

Yara Shahidi in Dior 

Tyler Mitchell

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Brother Vellies and Aurora James

Winnie Harlow in Iris van Herpen

Venus Williams in Prabal Gurung

Teyana Taylor in Prabal Gurung

Simone Biles in Area and Fred Leighton Jewelry

Michael Kors and Regina King in Michael Kors Collection

Anok Yai in Oscar de la Renta and Ana Khouri jewelery

Allyson Felix in Fendi Ballgown Adorned with 240,000 Ostrich Feathers

Adut Akech in Michael Kors Collection

Precious Lee in Area

Paloma Elsesser in Zac Posen

Ava in Prada

Marcus Samuelsson in DapperDanHarlem

Cynthia Erivo in Moschino by designer Jeremy Scott

Jackie Aina in Fe Noel

Dev Hynes carried a red lunch-bag-looking tote from Medea

Kerby Jean-Raymond in Pyer Moss

Joan Smalls in Ralph Lauren

Huma Abedin in Greta Constantine dress.

Gabrielle Union in Iris van Herpen and Jimmy Choo shoes

KiKi Layne in Khiry jewelry and Ashton Sanders

Virgil Abloh Wearing Louis Vuitton

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