From The White Lotus to a white-hot social media firestorm — K-pop sensation Lisa’s first-ever Met Gala appearance turned explosive the moment she hit the carpet.
The 28-year-old Blackpink star made her highly anticipated debut at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday night, dressed in a custom Louis Vuitton ensemble that almost immediately sparked backlash online.
The look — which seemed to draw inspiration from this year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” — featured an embroidered black blazer, logo tights, and a sheer lace bodysuit that left very little to the imagination.
But the uproar wasn’t about her embracing the pantsless trend — it was what people saw inside the lace that had X (formerly Twitter) in meltdown.
Zoom in, and embedded in the fabric around her lower half are graphic lace patterns resembling faces — and many fans were convinced one of those faces was none other than civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
“Rosa Parks on your underwear less than 3 months after a compilation of you saying the N word goes viral is kinda crazy but maybe thats just me!” one user alleged.
Another fired off: “Who the hell decided it was a good idea to put the faces of influential black women on a pair of PANTIES.”
One horrified viewer summed up what many were thinking: “I was wondering why Rosa Parks was trending got scared…. I know Lisa does not have Rosa Parks all over her underwear right now. WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA????? Mind you not only is it highly distasteful, how is this on theme?”
Lisa — whose real name is Lalisa Manobal — has yet to comment on the firestorm, but the phrase “Rosa Parks underwear” was already trending before the Met’s champagne had gone flat.
A closer inspection of the pattern reveals the collage-style motif is most visible below the waist — an area of the outfit some deemed “disrespectful” and “weird” for placing portraits of what appeared to be revered Black historical figures.
“I'm sorry but like isn’t having Rosa Parks, a huge historical figure, on your panties…like you know disrespectful, it’s also weird,” one person penned, while another echoed: “Rosa Park on her underwear. This is so disrespectful wtf was she thinking."
The controversy arrives just weeks after resurfaced pre-fame audition footage appeared to show Lisa and fellow Blackpink members Jennie and Rosé allegedly using a racial slur on stage — an incident none of the idols have addressed or apologized for.
“Despite saying the N-word multiple times and never apologizing, Lisa doesn’t seem to care as she wears underwear with images of ROSA PARKS, a civil rights icon who fought against racial injustice,” another critic fumed.
Still, not everyone was offended. One user raved: “The faces on the outfits kinda screammm how the detailing is soooooo on top of its games! Super cool @LouisVuitton.”
Another defended the garment’s craftsmanship: “Maya Angelou was an American poet, writer, and civil rights activist, best known for her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. A powerful voice for Black identity, women’s rights, and equality — her portrait is beautifully embroidered on Lisa’s Met Gala outfit.”
“Lisa’s Met Gala outfit features the silhouettes of many Black icons! Her team did an amazing job,” someone else gushed.
So what’s the actual truth about the lace?
According to The Cut and Vogue, a Louis Vuitton spokesperson confirmed the design was created by Henry Taylor, a contemporary American artist personally tapped by Pharrell Williams — LV’s Men’s Creative Director and a co-chair of the 2025 Gala. Taylor previously debuted a similar design in LV’s Spring-Summer 2024 menswear show.
The label explained that the print features “portraits of figures who have been a part of the artist’s life.” However, no specific names — including Rosa Parks — have been confirmed. The brand has not clarified whether Taylor’s portraits include any famous or recognizable individuals.
Theme Under Fire
This year’s exhibition and gala theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, draws from Monica L. Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The Met’s Instagram described it as presenting “a cultural and historical examination of Black style from the 18th century to the present.”
Lisa’s interpretation may have been intended as an homage — but the internet clearly doesn’t agree on whether it landed.
The full outfit included a sleek black blazer with sheer panels, a pearl chain, a Louis Vuitton handbag, and black pumps. Her hair was styled in a voluminous updo and paired with soft makeup to finish the look.
While this was Lisa’s Met Gala debut, it wasn’t her first red carpet moment. Just weeks earlier, she rocked Mark Gong menswear at the 2025 Oscars before taking the stage to perform.
Up next? Lisa is set to reunite with BLACKPINK for their summer tour — the first since 2023’s Born Pink run.
But online, the drama hasn’t died down. As one person put it: “This look is EVERYTHING.”
Or, depending on who you ask, maybe it shouldn't have been anything.