The Met Gala has evolved from a red-carpet event into a global platform for storytelling, branding, and image repositioning. Fashion houses now leverage this occasion to articulate or reshape their brand narratives through subtle symbolism and bold statements.

I asked our PR and trend experts: Which designer or fashion brand do you think leveraged the 2025 Met Gala best to elevate their image? What made it work? was it celebrity choice, message clarity, design execution, or something else?

I also asked the experts to advise emerging fashion brands on how to take notes from these high-visibility moments and apply similar branding strategies.

Here is the insight.

• Precisely know what you want people to feel when they view your work
• Center on purposeful design
• Build narrative depth
• Don’t crowd the message.
• Find those genuine alignment points between your brand story and the right voices to tell it
• Alignment across story, visuals, and talent

Precisely know what you want people to feel when they view your work

Khris Steven, Founder at KhrisDigital

"I am leaving with Wales Bonner as the brand that absolutely got it at this year's Met Gala. Her collection did not feel like a PR stunt—it felt intimate. Lewis Hamilton in that ivory three-piece suit with the skewed beret? That was an intentional reference to Black dandyism, not merely another slick look. And then FKA Twigs walked in that Josephine Baker-inspired look that seemed to be ripped from a 1920s jazz club but reimagined for the present. It wasn't pretty, it was culture. And it paid off because she didn't approach the theme as a dress code, she approached it as a platform. There's a difference between arriving and arriving with intention—and she evidently did the latter.

If I were speaking to a new brand looking to capture attention like that, I'd instruct them not to begin with, "What will go viral? " but instead to ask, "What do I have to say that's too important to ignore? " You can't manufacture relevance. That sort of runway moment doesn't happen out of moodboarding Pinterest trends. It is a result of knowing precisely what you want people to feel when they view your work. Contemplate getting 15 seconds of the world's attention—what would you actually say with that? Begin there."

Center on purposeful design

Samuel Huang, CEO at Telegram Ads Agency

"This year, the official brand of the 2025 Met Gala was not from a legacy brand, but it was Wales Bonner. Grace Wales Bonner dressing Lewis Hamilton, the other co-chair, was not only about fashion but also a strategic marketing move. She took advantage of Hamilton to express her brand's continued narrative involving Black identity, precise tailoring, and intelligent elegance. It was smart, layered, and incredibly effective.

What was the reason for its success? The clearness of the message. She didn't go overboard with the styling and didn't compete for being viral. Rather, she allowed Hamilton's presence, combined with stylish cultural references, to speak for themselves. That kind of self-discipline is powerful. For new brands, that's really the playbook: resonate with figures who are in tune with your brand, center on purposeful design, do not clutter your message trying to appeal to everyone.

These moments of high visibility are not just for photo-ops, they are also the brand expressions. If they are done properly, they articulate your values to the world before even a word is spoken."

Build narrative depth

Sean Clancy, Managing Director at SEO Gold Coast

"Iris van Herpen did something smart this year. She stayed off the predictable grid. No A-list face, no safe silhouette. She worked with a lesser-known artist and built a dress that mimicked brain circuitry using layered polymers. It didn’t trend instantly, but it gained steady traction over 72 hours. That’s better for SEO and longer digital shelf life. More backlinks, more unique mentions.

Her team packaged the story with purpose. Close-ups got priority. They fed Instagram carousels, Reddit threads, and niche forums with detail shots and short-form video. Emerging brands should do the same. Forget the big name for now. Build narrative depth. Focus on texture, movement, and meaning. Design with high-resolution framing in mind. That’s how it lands in media roundups and blog write-ups.

Time your roll-out. Van Herpen didn’t post the final look until 3 AM GMT. That caught the late-night scroll crowd in the US and the fashion desks waking up in Europe. Visibility isn't always about the moment—it’s about the window after."

Don’t crowd the message.

Jason Rowe, Director & Founder at Hello Electrical

"In my opinion, Chanel used the 2025 Met Gala better than any other brand to sharpen its image without pushing too hard. Jennie from BLACKPINK wore a custom Chanel tuxedo dress based on a 1987 design by Karl Lagerfeld, first modeled by Inès de La Fressange. It had a structured bodice, sharp pleats, and a voluminous skirt that opened in front to reveal tailored black pants. She wore it with a wide-brimmed black hat with a white band, a camellia flower at the neck, and long pearl strands across her torso.

This look pulled directly from the archive and came across as deliberate, not dated. It is consistent with the event theme, which is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” and the dress code, “Tailored for You.” The design mixed masculine structure with feminine detailing and echoed Coco Chanel’s goal of freeing women from restrictive clothing. That’s how you reference history and still speak to now.

For newer brands, this is worth studying. The success came from matching the right face with the right message. Jennie doesn’t show up everywhere, so when she does, it lands. The design said everything without needing an explanation. It nodded to legacy but stayed precise, modern, and focused.

If you’re trying to build long-term presence, don’t crowd the message. Choose your moment, keep the design aligned with who’s wearing it, and control every visual detail. That’s how you tell people what your brand is, without needing to say a word."

Find those genuine alignment points between your brand story and the right voices to tell it

Jasmine Charbonier, Content Marketing Strategist

"I've watched countless fashion houses try to make a splash at the Met Gala, but Balenciaga's strategy absolutely crushed it. Let me tell you why — and I'm speaking from my experience working with clients who've attempted similar visibility plays.

The genius wasn't just in their design (though that deconstructed evening wear collection was stunning). It was their perfect storm of storytelling elements. I remember sitting with my team watching the live coverage, and you could feel the social feeds exploding.

The brand released a documentary-style video showing the entire production process. Speaking from my years in marketing, this kind of coordinated storytelling is ridiculously hard to pull off.

From working with smaller brands, I know most can't afford a Met Gala moment. But there are smart ways to apply these principles. The key is finding the right convergence of message, messenger, and moment.

I had a client who took notes from this playbook for their launch. Instead of betting it all on one huge event, they identified 3 micro-influencers who perfectly embodied their brand values. They gave each person creative control to tell the brand story their way, similar to how Balenciaga shapes the narrative.

The thing is, you don't need a $500K red carpet budget. One of my startup clients created massive buzz by having their sustainable collection worn by environmental activists at climate conferences. The authenticity of the connection mattered more than the size of the stage.

Focus on finding those genuine alignment points between your brand story and the right voices to tell it. I've seen brands waste millions on flashy partnerships that fell flat because they were trying to force connections that weren't there.

Remember: The goal isn't to copy the big fashion houses. It's to learn from their strategies and adapt them to your scale. That's how my most successful clients have built their brands — by being savvy rather than just throwing money at visibility."

Alignment across story, visuals, and talent

Paul DeMott, Chief Technology Officer at Helium SEO

"Thom Browne owned the 2025 Met Gala. Every element, down to the stitching, felt calculated without losing creative edge, and that’s exactly what made it work. It’s the same kind of precision I aim for in digital marketing.

The brilliance here was how Browne used the Met Gala not as a fashion showcase, but as a high-impact brand campaign. Think of it as a live-action landing page, with every look optimized for media pickup, social sharing, and online engagement. It had a clear narrative arc, strong visual identity, and strategic talent alignment. That’s the kind of structure we build into digital campaigns at Helium SEO: clean story, smart targeting, consistent branding across touchpoints.

I saw this same idea come to life during a high-budget media buy we managed for a tech client. We aligned the messaging, ad creatives, and influencer tie-ins so tightly that every asset reinforced the core value prop. No mixed signals, no off-brand surprises, just a full-funnel campaign that functioned like a well-directed event. When people saw the brand, they got it instantly. That’s what Thom Browne did at the Met Gala. Every appearance added up to a larger narrative that people could recognize and share.

For emerging fashion brands, it’s the same playbook. You don’t need millions to make it happen. You need alignment across story, visuals, and talent. Treat your next product drop or influencer collab like a campaign launch. Use digital tools like search data, paid placements, and creator partnerships the same way a designer uses fabric and silhouette: deliberately. The Met Gala is high fashion’s Super Bowl, but digital marketing gives you those moments every day if you know how to structure them."

#PRontheGO