Met Gala 2025: Tems Rocks Ankara Dress, Nigerians React, Call for Her Stylist As Photos Trend

• Nigerian singer Tems was one of the celebrities who graced the red carpet at the Met Gala 2025
• The theme for the event was Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, and the Grammy-winning musician showed up in an ankara outfit
• Many netizens, particularly Nigerians, had a lot to say about Tems’ outfit after photos went viral on social media

Popular Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, aka Tems, was at the recently held Met Gala 2025 to the joy of fans.

The society event, which is regarded as the world's most prestigious and glamorous fashion event, took place on May 5, 2025, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Many celebrities from around the world, including Nigerian musician Tems, were in attendance.

The theme for the 2025 Met Gala was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which refers to suits and menswear. Guests showed up in outfits with different interpretations of the concept.

One of the guests who made headlines with her outfit was Grammy-winning Nigerian star Tems. The Love Me Jeje crooner rocked a buttoned-up suit dress made with blue ankara fabric with a green cravat around her neck and a matching green umbrella.

See her photos below:

Met Gala: Reactions as Tems rocks ankara dress

Tems’ interpretation of the ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’ theme was met with mixed reactions after the photos went viral on social media.

While some netizens praised her for using an ankara fabric to make her outfit, thereby showcasing herself as an African, others claimed the dress did not depict the theme.

Derryanna.destiny said:

“I love how she understood the theme yet still kept her culture and history on brand with it. It’s beautiful.👏🏾”

Katrinatheartist said:

“I like she made it her own 💯.”

Uglyxepidemic said:

“Look Like A Lucious African Version Of Mary Poppins 🔥.”

Trubluluisdead said:

“I love the nod to the motherland 😍.”

Dedejiofficial said:

“She slayed! The Ankara fabric! The tie matching with the umbrella! The hair, using the tie as a hairband is everything !😍”

Henrietta_m said:

“I love her but I think Nigerian tailors could have done more!!”

Yourpersonalhypegirl wrote:

“So Beautiful! So Regal! So African! So Marketable! So Trophy! Go Tems!!! Up Naija.”

Sylves__star said:

“Even if you wanted to use Ankara, why use the burial type 😭😭.. who is Tem’s stylist?”

Chris_jajuan said:

“She is so beautiful but totally missed the concept!”

Rahmanburkman said:

“I feel like some people might critique her fashion sense because she's fully covered and doesn't show as much skin. It's like there's a double standard where certain styles are judged more harshly because of societal expectations around revealing clothing 😬.”

Koku_diaries said:

“@euru22 honestly, with all the Nigerian stylist out there, this?”

Mz_preye_the_1st said:

“Cloth wey you for give @veekee_james to finish work for you.....I still love you sha.”

Bellabritt30 wrote:

“Not the theme.”

"Tems needs a better stylist - Daniel Regha

Social media critic Daniel Regha has taken a swipe at Nigerian celebrities who attended the 2025 Met Gala for their dress sense.

Regha criticised each of the three Nigerian singers who were invited to the glamorous gathering of Black entertainers.

For Ayra Starr, he said she did nothing while stating that Tems needs a better stylist and mentioned that Burna Boy had a better outing with his dress, but he messed it up with the shades he used.

Generally, he expressed his disappointment in the three representatives of the country for not showcasing the African-Nigerian culture and heritage at the big event.

Regha mentioned that they did not dress in line with the theme of the night, 'Tailoring Black Style'. He said the trio were looking basic at the event.

See full tweet here:

Pharrell Williams co-chairs the Met Gala

Meanwhile, in October 2024, Legit.ng reported that the Met Gala announced that singer and designer Pharrell Williams was among the co-chairs of the 2025 Met Gala, which waded into race relations in the context of fashion.

Rapper ASAP Rocky, actor and playwright Colman Domingo and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton were named co-chairs of the fashion's marquee event, overseen by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue.

Sola Sanusi, HOD of the Entertainment Desk, contributed to this article. She provided Daniel Regha's analysis of Tems, Burna Boy and Ayra Starr's outfits at the Met Gala.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng