Who Won the Met Gala 2025 on Instagram?

Met Gala 2025

The Met Gala 2025 once again proved its unparalleled power in the digital sphere, igniting massive online conversation and delivering a staggering $552 million in Earned Media Value (EMV). With an impressive average engagement rate of 8.5%, this year’s event reaffirmed the Gala’s role as a global stage for fashion, culture, and digital influence—building on the strong momentum seen in 2024’s edition.

Guided by the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” the 2025 Met Gala turned Instagram into a virtual runway, where celebrities, influencers, and brands shared bold looks and behind-the-scenes moments that captivated millions. The digital impact was driven by a powerful synergy between attendees and media:

• 260 attendees shared content directly, generating $258M EMV (47% of the total).
• 1206 media accounts amplified the event's reach, contributing $294M EMV (53%).

This report explores the top-performing celebrities, the fashion and beauty brands that owned Instagram, and the key content strategies that made this year’s Met Gala a cultural and commercial success—cementing its status as a masterclass in social-first brand storytelling.

The Met Gala 2025 Theme at a Glance

The Met Gala 2025 theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, celebrates the impact of fashion on Black identity, focusing on the influence of dandyism in the U.S. and Europe. This movement, rooted in the 18th century, emerged as systems like the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism created access to luxury goods. Fashion became a tool for self-expression, identity, and dignity in the face of marginalization.

Black dandyism is defined by tailored suits, polished footwear, precise grooming, bow ties, and silk pocket squares—blending sophistication and individuality. This style elevates personal presentation and challenges norms, asserting dignity through refined aesthetics.

The Costume Institute at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art curates the Met Gala theme annually. Superfine: Tailoring Black Style features an exhibition exploring the history and cultural impact of Black dandyism, offering insight into its legacy and role in shaping identity through fashion.

Lefty's Methodology

Between May 5 and 7, 2025, Lefty's campaign feature tracked Instagram posts from Met Gala attendees with over 10,000 followers. The data was retrieved from Lefty on May 9th, 2025. To measure the impact of these influencer posts, Lefty uses Earned Media Value (EMV)—a monetary benchmark representing the equivalent advertising cost needed to achieve the same number of views as an influencer's post.

EMV is calculated by estimating a post's total views and applying a Cost Per Mille (CPM) of $100, equivalent to $1 per view.

The formula is: (Impression * CPM) / 1000. This method provides a clear, quantifiable way to measure the value influencers bring to social media campaigns.

While celebrities and influencers took center stage on Instagram, the real winners behind the scenes were the fashion houses that dressed them. Each look wasn’t just a red carpet moment—it was a strategic brand statement that rippled across social media. From legacy maisons to emerging designers, the following brands earned the highest visibility at the 2025 Met Gala through impactful influencer partnerships and standout design. Lefty's data identified 101 fashion brand collaborations with attendees at the 2025 Met Gala and unveiled the resulting Instagram impact driven by influencers.

Just as fashion made a bold statement on the red carpet, beauty brands played a pivotal role in completing each look—and capturing attention online. From glowing skin to sculptural eye makeup, glam moments went viral, thanks to strategic collaborations between makeup artists, celebrities, and beauty houses. Below, we break down the beauty brands that saw the biggest returns in Instagram visibility and engagement at the 2025 Met Gala.

While fashion and beauty stole the spotlight, footwear brands quietly stepped into the conversation—often completing the look and helping drive additional visibility on Instagram. From iconic red soles to contemporary collaborations, these shoes weren’t just accessories—they were content drivers. Below, we highlight the footwear brands that made their mark at the 2025 Met Gala through influencer amplification and standout styling.

To Conclude Met Gala 2025

The Met Gala 2025 wasn’t just a night of fashion—it was a masterclass in influencer-driven brand storytelling. With record-breaking EMV, soaring impressions, and unprecedented participation from creators and media alike, this year proved that Instagram has become the event’s most powerful runway. From couture houses to beauty brands and footwear labels, the success of each red carpet moment was measured not only in headlines, but in visibility, engagement, and cultural resonance online.

As brands continue to prioritize social-first event strategies, the Met Gala offers a clear blueprint for success: pair powerful design with strategic influencer activation, and the impact will extend far beyond the steps of the Met.

Want to see how your brand can own the next major moment? Book a demo with Lefty to explore how we track EMV, identify top creators, and drive measurable ROI at every stage of the influencer journey.