The internet was set ablaze following BLACKPINK Lisa‘s appearance at the 2025 Met Gala. Her daring “pantless” ensemble, a custom Louis Vuitton creation featuring intricate lace adorned with faces, quickly became a hot topic. While Lisa herself hinted at the intentional boldness of the look in a Vogue interview, stating, “I could wear pants, but do we want to do that? Do we want to make something crazier and more fun? This is what we decided,” the real storm brewed over the identity of the figures on the garment.
A prominent theory that rapidly circulated online claimed one of the faces depicted was that of civil rights icon Rosa Parks. This sparked immediate and fierce backlash, particularly given past videos of the idol using a racial slur. The juxtaposition of a potentially disrespectful placement of such a significant historical figure with Lisa’s past actions ignited considerable anger and disappointment among many.
However, this narrative has now been directly challenged. A statement issued by a spokesperson for artist Henry Taylor, the creative force behind the artwork integrated into Lisa’s Louis Vuitton look, has clarified the identities of the figures. The statement, provided to Vulture, explicitly stated:
“The figure featured in Lisa’s Louis Vuitton look is not Rosa Parks, but one of Henry’s neighbors.”
The statement further elaborated on Taylor’s artistic process and his long-standing collaboration with Louis Vuitton under Pharrell Williams‘ creative direction.
“The faces seen on this look, as well as on previous LV garments featuring Taylor’s artwork, are all drawn from his personal life – family members, friends, and neighbors. These figures come directly from Henry’s existing artworks, which he provided to LVMH for Pharrell’s debut collection with Louis Vuitton in 2023. None of the individuals depicted in any of the garments are Rosa Parks or other well-known figures from Black cultural history.”
This clarification has elicited a range of reactions. Some fans have pointed to the incident as a prime example of how misinformation can spread rapidly on social media, with assumptions solidifying into perceived facts without concrete evidence. As one commenter aptly put it,
“HAHAHAHHAAH. This is why I never commented when people went crazy over this. Because no one from LV said that it was Rosa Parks. People saw a female face and suddenly everyone was saying it’s Rosa Parks. My thought was there’s no way the hundreds of people at LV who saw the design and thought yeah Rosa Parks on the crotch is a good idea.”
However, the revelation that the faces were indeed personal acquaintances of the artist has not quelled all criticism. Some argue that regardless of the specific identities, the decision to place portraits on such a prominent and intimate area of clothing, particularly at an event celebrating Black style (“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”), remains questionable.
One Reddit user articulated this sentiment, stating,
“Okay in my honest opinion even if it wasn’t Rosa Parks, should we really be putting portraits of Black people in that area? And I don’t want to hear that it was just part of the design, because I saw the interview, and she had a choice to wear pants and decided against it. She wanted to be risky, and she took that risk. It didn’t pay off. Now thousands of people think she had Rosa Parks on her punani at an event meant to honor Black culture.”
The user further emphasized their continued disappointment with Lisa’s silence on her past use of a racial slur, contrasting the swift clarification regarding the outfit with the lack of response to a more significant issue.
“And very telling that her and her team were this was so quick to be cleared up but it was completely quiet when fans were asking her to address and apologize for saying the nword.”
What are your thoughts on Henry Taylor clarifying that image of the woman on Lisa’s intimate area was not Rosa Parks? Does it make a difference to you? Let us know in the comment section below!
