Met Gala: Vogue Announces Chimamanda Adichie, LeBron James, Usher, Other Stars as 2025 Hosts

In a move that strengthens her status as a global fashion and cultural icon, multiple award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has been named to the prestigious host committee for the 2025 Met Gala, joining a distinguished group of global figures from various industries.

The Met Gala, widely regarded as fashion’s biggest night, is an annual fundraising event for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This year’s edition scheduled for May 5, 2025, will have the theme: ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style-a celebration of Black dandyism and its impact on identity and fashion’.

Adichie, known for her bold fashion statements and advocacy for African designers, will serve alongside a distinguished list of host committee members, including Olympic gymnastics champion, Simone Biles; rapper, André 3000, American comedian and television writer, Ayo Edebiri; contemporary American painter, Jordan Casteel; Iconic filmmaker and his producer wife, Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee; R&B superstar, Usher Raymond, and several other prominent figures in entertainment, sports, and arts.

According to organisers, the event’s co-Chairs include Academy Award-nominated actor, Colman Domingo; Formula One champion, Lewis Hamilton; music mogul, Pharrell Williams, and rapper, A$AP Rocky. “Vogue’s longtime editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, remains a driving force behind the event, with NBA superstar, LeBron James, serving as an honorary chair,” the organisers disclosed.

This year’s Met Gala theme draws inspiration from “Slaves to Fashion”, a book written by Monica L. Miller that examines the cultural and political significance of Black dandyism. The corresponding exhibition at the Met curated by Andrew Bolton and Miller, will run from May 10 to October 26, 2025, showcasing fashion, photography, and historical artefacts that highlight Black style and influence.

Adichie’s inclusion in the host committee is a well-deserved recognition of her growing influence beyond literature. The celebrated author of Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah has long championed African fashion, consistently showcasing pieces by Nigerian designers on global stages.

In December 2019, she hosted a groundbreaking two-day event in Lagos with her friend, Maria Grazia Chiuri, the Creative Director of Dior. During this landmark event, Chiuri led a master class for Nigerian designers and engaged in a candid conversation with Adichie at a gala night, an occasion that significantly boosted the international visibility of Nigerian fashion. Her participation in the Met Gala further underscores the expanding global recognition of African creativity in the fashion industry.