Tems brought ankara, a vibrant African wax print popular in Nigeria, to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday (May 5).

British-Ghanaian fashion designer Ozwald Boateng helmed her blue and green tailored mermaid vest gown, which she wore over a blue pinstriped collared shirt with a green pussy bow and umbrella with a matching peacock design.

The Nigerian superstar has been on a roll this year, from winning her second Grammy for best African music performance with “Love Me JeJe” to joining the ownership group for San Diego FC as a club partner to becoming the first African female artist to hit 1 billion Spotify streams with her feature on Future‘s “WAIT FOR U,” also featuring Drake.

This year’s Met Gala celebrated the theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The official dress code is “Tailored for You,” a nod to the spring 2025 exhibition’s focus on menswear and is “purposefully designed to provide guidance and invite creative interpretation,” according to Vogue.

Pharrell Williams, A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo and Lewis Hamilton served as co-chairs, while LeBron James served as honorary chair. James announced on X he had to cancel his appearance due to a knee injury he sustained at the end of the season. Tyla, Doechii, André 3000, Usher, Janelle Monáe and more also served as members of the costume institute benefit host committee.