BLACKPINK’s Lisa Faces Backlash Over “Vulgar” Met Gala 2025 Outfit Featuring Rosa Parks Portraits
BLACKPINK’s Lisa made her long-anticipated Met Gala debut on May 5, but instead of applause, her outfit has ignited a firestorm of controversy — quickly going viral for all the wrong reasons.
Stepping onto the Met Gala 2025 “blue carpet,” Lisa stunned in a daring Louis Vuitton ensemble consisting of printed tights, a decorative bodysuit, and a sharply tailored blazer — with no pants, embracing the ongoing “exposed underwear” trend seen in high fashion. While many acknowledged her beauty and poise, critics were quick to point out concerns surrounding the design’s cultural implications.
The Controversial Design
This year’s Met Gala theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, spotlighted Black dandy fashion and Black designers — marking the first time the event has centered on Black cultural aesthetics.
Lisa’s look aligned with the menswear-inspired theme at first glance, but closer inspection revealed a more complex — and divisive — element: embroidered portraits by renowned Black artist Henry Taylor, including a depiction of civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Notably, the portrait appeared across the bodysuit, including the underwear area, which many found inappropriate.
Netizens’ Reactions
Some netizens on X (formerly Twitter) labeled the outfit “vulgar” and “disrespectful,” questioning the sensitivity of placing such an important historical figure on a highly sexualized area of the design.
One reposted and tweeted, “Using Rosa Parks’ image in this manner appears to be a blatant lack of respect and sensitivity towards her legacy and the struggles she faced during the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, it reinforces harmful racial stereotypes & undermines the progress made in combating racism.”
Others defended Lisa, noting that the entire outfit was created by a Black artist, and that the print is featured throughout the ensemble, not exclusively on the underwear. Still, the placement raised eyebrows given the gravity of Rosa Parks’ legacy.
A Perfect Storm of Timing
Adding fuel to the controversy is the recent resurfacing of allegations involving BLACKPINK members using the N-word, which has further intensified scrutiny of Lisa’s appearance at an event dedicated to Black identity and culture. While these allegations are separate, the timing has made the backlash louder and more emotionally charged.
While Lisa’s Met Gala debut was expected to be a celebratory fashion moment, it has instead sparked heated debate about cultural respect, fashion boundaries, and representation.
Whether this will influence future collaborations or appearances remains to be seen, but it has undoubtedly become one of the most talked-about Met Gala moments of 2025 — for better or worse.
