The internet is a wild place. One minute you're celebrating your debut at the biggest fashion event of the year, and the next, you're the face of a global firestorm. That’s exactly what happened to Lisa of Blackpink. During the 2025 Met Gala, a single outfit choice spiraled into a massive debate involving civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
People were heated. Social media was flooded with screenshots, red circles, and a lot of genuine anger. But as with most things that go viral in ten seconds flat, the truth is a bit more complicated than a spicy tweet. If you've been wondering why Lisa Blackpink Rosa Parks were trending together, or if you're just trying to figure out if she actually wore a civil rights hero on her underwear, let's get into the messy details.
The Outfit That Set the Internet on Fire
It was May 5, 2025. The theme for the Met Gala was "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," inspired by the history of Black dandyism. Lisa, newly minted Louis Vuitton ambassador and The White Lotus actress, showed up looking incredible in a custom LV look. It was a tailored black lace jacket paired with a sheer bodysuit and logo tights.
Then, the "zoom-ins" started.
Eagle-eyed fans—and critics—began noticing faces embroidered into the lace of the bodysuit. Specifically, one portrait located near the pelvic area bore a striking resemblance to Rosa Parks. Specifically, it looked like the classic image of her wearing glasses that we’ve all seen in history textbooks.
Within hours, "Rosa Parks" was trending next to Lisa’s name. The backlash was swift. People called it "disrespectful," "distasteful," and "tone-deaf," especially given the location of the embroidery. Honestly, looking at the low-res photos from the red carpet, it was easy to see why people were confused. The silhouette was almost identical.
Who Was Actually on the Bodysuit?
Here is where the "viral vs. reality" gap happens. The portraits weren't historical figures. They weren't political icons.
The look was a collaboration between Louis Vuitton’s menswear creative director, Pharrell Williams, and contemporary artist Henry Taylor. If you follow the art world, you know Taylor is famous for his soulful, expressive portraits of everyday Black life.
According to a statement released by a representative for Henry Taylor to Vulture, the figure everyone thought was Rosa Parks was actually one of the artist’s neighbors.
"The faces seen on this look... are all drawn from his personal life—family members, friends, and neighbors," the rep explained. "None of the individuals depicted in any of the garments are Rosa Parks or other well-known figures from Black cultural history."
Basically, the embroidery was a tribute to real people from Taylor's community in Los Angeles. It was about elevating the "everyman" to the level of high art, which actually fit the "Tailored for You" dress code quite well. But because the neighbor happened to wear similar glasses and have a similar facial structure to Parks, the internet ran with the most controversial version of the story.
Why the Backlash Stuck Anyway
Even after the "neighbor" explanation came out, the conversation didn't just die down. Kinda makes sense, right? For many, the visual association was already burned into their brains.
There are a few reasons why the Lisa Blackpink Rosa Parks controversy felt so heavy:
- The Location: Regardless of who the person was, placing a portrait of a Black woman on the crotch or "fanny" area of a bodysuit felt "nasty" to many observers. Critics argued that Pharrell and LV should have anticipated how this would look on camera.
- The Theme: The Gala was celebrating Black style. Having a non-Black K-pop idol wear portraits of Black people in such a "risqué" way felt like a misstep to some, even if the artist himself intended it as a tribute.
- Past History: Lisa has faced accusations of cultural appropriation before. For some fans, this felt like another "strike," making them less likely to give her the benefit of the doubt.
On the flip side, her supporters (the Blinks) argued that the blame was being misplaced. Lisa didn't design the clothes; Pharrell and Henry Taylor did. They pointed out that other celebrities, including Pharrell’s wife and Sabrina Carpenter, wore similar "no-pants" looks featuring Taylor’s art that night. Why was only Lisa being "jailed" for it?
The Pharrell and Henry Taylor Connection
To understand why this happened, you have to look at the 2023 Louis Vuitton debut by Pharrell. He used Henry Taylor’s artwork extensively in that collection. They took Taylor’s paintings and turned them into "micro-embroideries."
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The portraits on Lisa’s Met Gala look were actually recycled from that previous collection, just simplified into black-and-white outlines. In Taylor’s world, these figures represent his "tribe"—the people who supported him before he was a world-famous artist. It’s meant to be intimate and respectful.
But fashion is all about optics. In the high-pressure environment of the Met Gala, "intimate" can look like "inappropriate" through a smartphone lens.
What Most People Get Wrong About This
A lot of the articles you'll find online still headline this as "Lisa Wears Rosa Parks." They don't always update with the correction.
- Misconception 1: Lisa chose to put Rosa Parks there. Truth: It wasn't Rosa Parks, and Lisa didn't design the embroidery placement.
- Misconception 2: It was a deliberate political statement. Truth: It was a creative collaboration focused on personal history, not political icons.
- Misconception 3: Only Lisa wore this art. Truth: The Henry Taylor portraits have been a staple of Pharrell’s LV era and were worn by multiple people.
Moving Past the Controversy
So, what do we do with this? Honestly, it’s a lesson in the speed of misinformation. By the time the artist’s rep clarified the situation, the "damage" to Lisa’s reputation in certain circles was already done.
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If you're a fan or just a casual observer of celebrity culture, here are some actionable ways to handle these "scandals" in the future:
- Wait for the "Rep" Statement: In high-fashion cases, the artist or designer usually speaks within 24–48 hours. Don't take a Twitter thread as gospel.
- Look for the Source Material: If a garment features art, find out who the artist is. Henry Taylor’s portfolio is public, and his style is very specific.
- Contextualize the Theme: The Met Gala is about costume and art. Sometimes art is provocative, and sometimes it's just a misunderstanding of visual cues.
The Lisa Blackpink Rosa Parks situation is a prime example of how a beautiful artistic tribute can turn into a PR nightmare with just one "wrong" angle and a viral tweet. Lisa hasn't personally addressed the drama, which is pretty standard for her, but the fashion world has largely moved on, acknowledging it as a classic case of mistaken identity.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to see the actual art that inspired the look, search for "Henry Taylor Louis Vuitton 2023 collection." You'll see the original colorful paintings of the neighbors and friends that were eventually turned into the embroidery Lisa wore. It helps put the whole "visual coincidence" into a much clearer perspective.