A fashion girlie's guide to May
On how an independent media editor is living May, her impressions on the Met Gala and the Cannes Film Festival and some of the most successful APAC celebrity ambassadorship announcements of 2025.
Borrowing my own words, “Oh, to be a fashion girlie in May” — no pun intended. The month kicked off on a truly positive note with a Met Gala that exceeded expectations. For once, the theme and dress code prompted displays of fashion mastery rarely seen on the red carpets.
The Good and The Goodest (yeah, I know that word does not exist)
There were glitches, of course — we all saw Sha’Carri Richardson crediting Ale Santos for a design actually created by Alessandro Michele, new creative director of Valentino, and had to endure interviewers absolutely disregarding the powerhouse and cultural institution Shah Rukh Khan is. But, on a positive note, we witnessed Black, Latino and Asian celebs owning the red carpet. Yes, it was a night that lent itself to bringing out the best of Black stars’ style repertoire, but they went the extra mile to represent their roots and pay tribute to the trailblazers who paved the way in fashion and entertainment.
Latino and Asian stars, on the other hand, knew exactly how to spotlight their culture through the lens of Black dandyism. Shah Rukh Khan, Bad Bunny, Maluma, Willy Chavarria and S.Coups put cultural spins on the dress code to honor their roots. (Yes, Bad Bunny, we saw that nod to Jíbaro culture and actually got to interview the designer behind the pava hat you sported. Beautiful!)
There were also a couple of exciting debuts, like Lauryn Hill, who not only deserved the invitation but should be attending every Met Gala from now on, and Doechii, who even served as a member of the hosting committee—and just wanted a couple of extra umbrellas.
In the Asian front, Indian stars had a major moment on the red carpet, showcasing their country’s craftsmanship and textile tradition. They also served bling with one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces that made headlines.
Another debutant under the spotlight was Thai actress Freen Sarocha. Considering the secrecy that surrounds the event, her debut, however, was not surprising at all. For one thing, her company posted an attendance notice the night before. For another, the immense, and frankly staggering, power that Thai stars display demands their attendance at every notable fashion event. Freen, in particular, has made strides in fashion circles, gaining renown as a front row attendant — she became the highest MIV-earning celebrity (per post) at the latest Paris Fashion Week.
Needless to say, her Met Gala attendance was only the natural next step in her international sojourn.
Landing in Cannes
After the sleepless nights courtesy of the Met Gala, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off on May 13. We got an updated dress code that seemingly does not apply to the celebrity guests, but that prompted plenty of social media critique and press coverage. On our end, although we briefly discussed it, we had anticipated that the “new rules” would not apply to brand ambassadors and VIPs walking on invitation from the festival’s sponsors. And so far, we were not mistaken.
What we did anticipate—and got to witness—was the influx of Asian celebrities on the red carpets. There are no official stats (at least not yet!), but we confidently dare to state that APAC stars have absolutely won the style and media game this year. After all, they not only attract attention for the fashion statements, but actually know how to build up anticipation and ride the momentum on social media. Even unknowingly and in the midst of busy work days, we kept an eye on the red carpets, eagerly anticipating displays of Parisian Haute Couture or cool introductions to some of the emerging Asian designers we might not even know yet.
A brief shout-out to the Asian talent who stole mine, my team and my fashion groupchat’s hearts with their Cannes style book — namely, the dizi queen and Pomellato icon Hande Erçel, the ultra-stylish Rebecca Patricia Armstrong (Becky), one of L’Oréal’s newest faces; the fabulous Araya Alberta Hargate and the talented Davika Hoorne, who walked her first Cannes red carpet as part of the cast of A Useful Ghost, premiering in the Critics’ Week lineup.
P.S. We’ll gauge their impact once the festival comes to a close, but if you feel like reading about some of these style moments, Valentina Reni broke down Becky’s look book at Cannes here.
Speaking of Asian Impact…
And in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, let’s delve into some of the most recent and impactful fashion brand and APAC celebrity partnerships, as reported by Launchmetrics.
The data company’s proprietary machine learning algorithm, Media Impact Value, monitors qualitative and quantitative factors to measure brand activity impact and marketing performance across channels (beyond simple metrics like social media engagement). In a recent data brief shared with the press, Launchmetrics offered information about some of this year’s most successful fashion partnerships. The data was monitored in the first week after the ambassadorship announcement in all cases.
In February, Acne Studios sealed a budding association with K-pop star Johnny Suh. The appointment followed a couple of public appearances at the Swedish brand events, including stints at Paris Fashion Week. This ambassadorship announcement garnered $1.5 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) within a week. (If you feel like reading more about Johnny’s journey as an Acne ambassador, the fantastic Mel Simmons wrote this comprehensive timeline for No Manners Magazine.)
On the other hand, Ananya Panday became Chanel’s first-ever Indian ambassador on April 16. The star was frequently spotted wearing the brand at industry events and also sat front row at Chanel shows during Paris Fashion Week.
“Ananya characterises a generation of evolving tastes and fiercely independent identities who navigate the world with their curiosities,” Chanel told the Business of Fashion upon her appointment. Panday’s ambassadorship news tallied $2.5 million in MIV.
Members of the K-pop group Stray Kids have also starred in major ambassadorship announcements this year, proving to be key players in K-pop’s continuous expansion into fashion territories.
Yang Jeong-in, best known as I.N, was named ambassador of the internet-elusive brand Bottega Veneta in January. Despite the Italian house’s limited presence online, the announcement garnered $6 million in MIV.
This month, the star also joined Jessica Chastain to represent the jewelry brand Damiani. Guido Damiani, President of the Damiani Group, shared in a press statement, "We are delighted to welcome I.N to the family. We are confident that he will interpret the essence of our work with the flair of a true artist and bring excitement to our brand." I.N’s appointment accrued $2.1 million in MIV.
Similar to I.N., Bang Chan, leader of Stray Kids, sparked an online frenzy with his appointment as Fendi’s brand ambassador. The news hit the internet on January 16 and, within a week, garnered $9.3 million in MIV, proving beyond any doubt the Australian star’s internet savvy presence and industry relevance.
Finally,
It’s Cruise season! Last week, Gucci presented a collection that in many ways anticipated what’s to come for the brand once Georgian designer Demna Gvasalia takes the helm. The show was, of course, showcased in front of A-list Gucci friends, including Paul Mescal and Julia Garner. However, it was the Asian stars who were under the spotlight—Davika (ahead of her Cannes debut), K-pop singer Zhang Hao of ZEROBASEONE and Chinese actors Vanda Margraf and Zhang Linghe sat front row.
As the Dior and Louis Vuitton cruise shows are fast approaching, we can expect more Asian star power on the front rows.
As per usual, we’ll be reporting from the frontlines.
If you feel like revisiting some of the best moments at the Met Gala and the Cannes Film Festival so far, here are a couple of essential reads.