Overview
- Johnson, who walked the Met Gala carpet Monday, made his first appearance at the event in a custom Thom Browne look that paired a black tailcoat and bow tie with a pleated skirt.
- He said the choice drew on his Samoan heritage, noting that in Polynesian culture men wear lavalava, a wrap skirt, and he called those wearers “the most masculine men.”
- Thom Browne detailed intensive craft in the outfit, including over 350 meters of hand‑pleated silk ribbons arranged in a skeletal or spinal motif and work by dozens of artisans.
- His longtime stylist said the skirt was chosen to subvert expectations for larger, muscular men in high fashion and to show how tailoring can fit bodies often shut out of luxury runways.
- Coverage and social media reaction ranged from praise for the cultural context to sharp criticism, even as the look fit the gala’s Fashion Is Art theme and included a multi‑million‑dollar Jacob & Co. watch.