Photo Credits: Swarovski via Instagram
At fashion’s most prestigious night, the 2025 Met Gala, Swarovski delivered one of the evening’s most arresting visual statements. Under the artistic direction of Giovanna Engelbert, the Austrian crystal house wove together its heritage of light, craftsmanship, and storytelling with this year’s theme: Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, a tribute to Black dandyism and centuries of Black influence in tailoring.
Embodying the rebirth of archival elegance through a modern lens, Swarovski’s presence was both ornamental and conceptual — a masterclass in turning adornment into narrative.
Photo Credits: Swarovski
Giovanna Engelbert: Wearing the Vision
Creative director Giovanna Engelbert transformed herself into a living sculpture, donning a rich emerald three-piece suit rendered in feathered organza and adorned with over 200,000 Swarovski crystals and pearls. The ensemble blended peacock-like flamboyance with historical silhouettes, recalling Victorian opulence with a futuristic air. It was not just a look, but a luminous embodiment of artistic direction in motion.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Swarovski
Adut Akech: A Collar Fit for a Queen
Model Adut Akech walked the carpet in a sharply structured mini-dress inspired by classic waistcoats, paired with a sweeping overcoat. Yet the true centerpiece was a sculptural, ruff-like collar composed of 25,550 hand-set Swarovski crystals. The exaggerated neckline called to mind the regal excess of European courts, reinterpreted through the lens of contemporary Black elegance and unapologetic glamour.
Photo Credits: Swarowski
Credits: Swarovski
Alex Consani: Youth in Precise Cut and Crystal
In her Met Gala debut, Alex Consani brought gender-fluid sophistication to life in a reimagined white tuxedo dress. The blazer’s broad lapels were framed with 18,400 Swarovski crystals, each precisely set to highlight the garment’s architecture. With a cinched waist and a soft silhouette, the piece walked the line between classic tailoring and embellished youth — an homage to heritage, redefined.
Credits: Swarowski
Photo Credits: Swarovski
Sora Choi: Fluidity in Motion
Sora Choi appeared as a celestial apparition in a deep cobalt ensemble that shifted between structure and flow. The outfit began as a sharply tailored coat, transforming mid-length into a fluid, almost weightless skirt. Her waist was cinched with a belt set with 16,300 Swarovski zirconia, while an ethereal headpiece — a halo-like construct of 12,600 stones — orbited her like a constellation. Every detail pulsed with quiet spectacle.
Credits: Swarovski
Swarovski’s 2025 Met Gala presentation was far more than a visual feast. It was a crafted narrative — every crystal a stitch in a tapestry of identity, power, and elegance. In honoring the theme of Black sartorial legacy, the brand demonstrated how embellishment can transcend decoration to become poetry, protest, and celebration all at once.
