The legacy of Rosa Parks, thankfully, remains intact — despite online speculation that her image had been stitched into an intimate area of K-pop star Lisa’s Met Gala ensemble.
During Monday’s event — the first time the singer and “White Lotus” actor, whose full name is Lalisa Manobal, attended fashion’s biggest night — she became the subject of digital outrage after viewers presumed she had donned the Civil Rights icon’s likeness on the crotch of her bodysuit.
“Lisa needs to fire her whole PR team,” one user wrote. Another added that the actor had “lost her damn mind.”
But on Wednesday, Vulture obtained a statement clarifying the creative choices behind the look. The fabric was part of Pharrell Williams’ 2023 collection for Louis Vuitton, and the embroidered faces were based on portraits by acclaimed artist Henry Taylor. A rep for Taylor told Vulture: “The figure featured in Lisa’s Louis Vuitton look is not Rosa Parks, but one of Henry’s neighbors.”
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In fact, none of the faces in the garment were historical figures.
According to the statement, “They are all people from Henry’s own life.”
Vogue also noted that the portraits were not just on panties as some critics highlighted, but “embroidered into the bodice of her ensemble.”
HuffPost also reached out to the representative for further commentary, but they didn’t immediately respond.
Given the event’s theme, “Super Fine: Tailoring Black Style,” and the internet’s outrage, Taylor’s clarification may not entirely thread the needle.
As people on social media noted, the controversy came as Manobal was already facing accusations of cultural appropriation and a video of resurfaced clips appearing to show her and fellow Blackpink members rapping and singing the n-word as they cover popular songs.
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