K-pop star opted for a bold sheer lace bodysuit beneath a sharply tailored black blazer

Blackpink sensation Lisa, Thai singer and actress, made a bold statement with her sheer black blazer and no pantsAFP-ANGELA WEISS

Dubai: K-pop star and The White Lotus actress Lisa drew widespread attention — and backlash — at the 2025 Met Gala after stepping onto the red carpet in a daring Louis Vuitton ensemble that appeared to feature civil rights icon Rosa Parks’ likeness embroidered on her lace bodysuit.

Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, this year’s Met Gala theme, ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’, paid homage to Black dandyism from the 18th century through the Harlem Renaissance, with a focus on its lasting influence on fashion.

Guests were encouraged to interpret the theme through bespoke tailoring and elevated menswear silhouettes.

Lisa, born Lalisa Manobal, opted for a bold interpretation that included a sheer lace bodysuit beneath a sharply tailored black blazer. The outfit, designed by Louis Vuitton, was accented with logo tights and a monogram handbag — but it was the intricate embroidery on the bodysuit, specifically around the lower torso, that ignited an online firestorm.

According to British Vogue, the artwork was designed by American artist Heny Taylor, known for incorporating Black historical figures in his work. 

The embroidery — featuring miniature portraits from Taylor’s collaboration with Louis Vuitton creative director Pharrell Williams — originally debuted in the fashion house’s Spring 2024 collection. One of the images closely resembled Rosa Parks, a symbol of the American civil rights movement.

While some praised the outfit’s conceptual boldness, many critics on social media called it inappropriate and disrespectful.

“Rosa Parks on her panties… really?” one user wrote on X. Another added: “How does this happen at an event meant to honour Black style and legacy?”

Others questioned the judgment behind using such an iconic figure in a fashion piece positioned in a sensitive area, calling it a misstep in cultural respect and context. 

“This reduces a woman who stood for dignity and resistance to a decorative motif,” another comment read.

Lisa’s representatives have not yet responded to the criticism.

As the dust settles from the 2025 Met Gala, the discussion surrounding Lisa’s outfit continues to spotlight the delicate intersection of fashion, activism, and cultural reverence.