Khaby Lame—yes, that Khaby, the king of the silent side-eye and viral myth-busting, has officially graduated from TikTok sensation to the Met Gala’s most unexpected MVP. With over 160 million followers and a universal language of eyebrow raises and satirical hand gestures, Khaby cracked the internet wide open by saying absolutely nothing at all. And now? He’s saying everything with fashion. This year marks his very first Met Gala, and frankly, it’s not every day that a global icon known for cutting through the noise without a word gets to make his high-fashion debut on the steps of the Met. And something tells me he’s about to do it in the most Khaby way possible: effortlessly impressive and quietly commanding.
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Though this is his first Met Gala, Khaby’s far from a newcomer to the world of high fashion. He’s been making waves on the fashion scene for a while now as a longstanding collaborator with BOSS. Having starred in several campaigns and even launched a capsule collection with the brand—it’s only fitting that for his Met debut, he’d be dressed by the timeless fashion giant. BOSS, known for its sharp tailoring and signature sophistication, knows exactly how to dress a man like Khaby Lame. One of the standout elements? Marco Falcioni, Creative Director of BOSS, shared that his favorite detail of the look was “the pocket watches that he sourced from 3 flea markets.” A nod to both Black Dandyism and “the clock app” or TikTok.
ESSENCE stopped by The Mark Hotel ahead of the most-watched carpet in couture, to catch up with Khaby and Marco Falcioni, Creative Director of BOSS, to discuss the look, from the inspiration to subtle details, and how fashion fits into his viral persona. from the inspiration behind the look to how style plays into his viral persona. Khaby shared that he “hopes to inspire people from all over the globe to believe in themselves because they too can make it.”
