Met Gala 2025: The Numbers Highlight Asian Brands

Met Gala 2025 has once again solidified its status as a media phenomenon. Evidence of this lies in its massive Earned Media Value (EMV), which reached an impressive $552 million, along with an outstanding average engagement rate of 8.5%. Notably, this year’s media spotlight unexpectedly shifted in favor of Asian brands.

Met Gala 2025 has once again affirmed its position as a global media phenomenon. This year’s event witnessed explosive visibility and engagement across social media platforms. Notably, on Instagram alone, the estimated Earned Media Value (EMV), according to analytics firm Lefty, reached a staggering $552 million.

The exhibition theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” celebrated the influence of Black culture on dandyism and drew significant public attention. As a result, the event generated massive buzz organically—without relying on direct advertising—thanks largely to the presence of celebrities, influencers, and viral social momentum.

However, perhaps the most intriguing and impressive insight from Met Gala 2025 lies in the remarkable prominence of Asian brands, which unexpectedly took center stage in this year’s media spotlight.

Top Female Star Spotlight Shines on Indian Actress Kiara Advani.

According to overall EMV data from Lefty, Indian actress Kiara Advani made a surprising breakthrough by generating the highest visibility on Instagram, reaching an impressive $17.8 million in Earned Media Value and an engagement rate of 11.5%.

The Bollywood A-lister confidently showcased her baby bump in a striking black gown infused with metallic elements. The look was accentuated by a sparkling heart-shaped emblem connected to an armor-like bodice with a golden thread, subtly evoking the theme of motherhood through the symbolic imagery of an umbilical cord.

The rise of Asian stars was further underscored by the Top 5 Women ranking released by Launchmetrics, where Asian celebrities claimed the top three spots.

Lisa made a bold statement in a custom pants-free design by Louis Vuitton, crafted by Pharrell Williams. Sarocha Chankimha dazzled in a Valentino ensemble, while Jennie earned praise for her on-theme Chanel look, perfectly aligning with this year’s exhibition concept.

 

Launchmetrics explained that the absence of frequent chart-toppers like Zendaya and Rihanna—who ranked only fourth and fifth, respectively—was mainly because they or their teams did not post outfit photos on their personal Instagram accounts. This significantly reduced the engagement and the EMV/MIV value that the brands could have gained from these appearances.

Louis Vuitton Dominates the Fashion Brand Category

Perhaps the least surprising statistic of the night was Louis Vuitton’s leading position among top fashion brands. This dominance is not only due to the French house being the main sponsor of the exhibition “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” but also thanks to its men’s creative director, Pharrell Williams, an African American deeply knowledgeable about Black dandyism style.

The list of other impressive brands following closely includes Chanel, Gaurav Gupta, Valentino, Wales Bonner, and Saint Laurent.

Notably, Indian brand Gaurav Gupta impressively secured a spot in the Top 3 fashion brands, achieving $17.2 million in EMV. This remarkable success is directly linked to the striking outfit worn by actress Kiara Advani, clearly demonstrating how a strategic collaboration between an Asian star and designer can generate a powerful global impact.

Additionally, the presence of Prabal Gurung, a Nepalese-born designer based in New York, in the Top 10 further confirms and strengthens the growing importance of South Asian fashion on the Met Gala event map.

Most Featured Accessory: Hats

While designs and beauty looks attracted most of the attention, footwear brands quietly made their mark as well. Shoes, often the finishing piece of an outfit, played a crucial role in boosting visibility on Instagram. Footwear brands that stood out at Met Gala 2025 through influencer amplification and notable styling included Louboutin, Ferragamo, and Stuart Weitzman.

Classic hats—with countless variations such as bowler hats, fedoras, and top hats—served as the perfect finishing touch to the black dandyism ensembles. These designs often became the focal point of discussions, especially creations from the renowned milliner Stephen Jones. When bespoke hats appeared alongside outfits worn by fashion icons like Rihanna, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Kim Kardashian, they not only affirmed high style but also generated a hefty $1.4 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) for this legendary name.

Indian Brand Makes Its Mark Alongside the Giants

According to MIV data from Launchmetrics, major jewelry brands like Cartier and Tiffany & Co. led the rankings by providing jewelry to a large number of attendees, earning close MIV figures of $11.8 million and $10.8 million, respectively.

Cartier supplied its gold and diamond designs to 17 stars, including Halle Berry, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Bad Bunny, while Tiffany & Co. adorned nearly the same number of celebrities, with a roster featuring Pharrell and his wife Helen, as well as Nick Jonas, Hailey Bieber, Doechii, and others.

However, another notable highlight from Asia in this category is Golecha, a jeweler based in Mumbai, India. Golecha crafted an impressive custom necklace to complete Diljit Dosanjh’s outfit, generating $2.8 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) for the collaboration.

Following them in the rankings were Bulgari, Swarovski, Chopard, and Jacob & Co., while the presence of Boucheron reflected the ongoing expansion of the Paris-based jeweler in the United States.