Lewis Hamilton promotes three emerging designers at 2021 Met Gala

Having started The Hamilton Commission to improve Black representation within UK motorsport, Seven-time World Champion Sir Lewis Hamilton now trying to get more opportunities for designers from black community to make names for themselves.

Vogue reported that fashion icon Lewis Hamilton, who is A frequent Met Gala attendee, chose to use his influence at the event to showcase Black designers. The Brit is known for wearing the work of high profile designers. However, this year he invited three emerging Black designers to his table, which can cost up to $30,000 (£21,629).

Historically, tables are often bought up by the biggest creatives in the industry who use the seats for celebrities they have dressed for the evening, which hasn’t been great for making the Met Gala an inclusive and diverse event in the past.

Having been excited by the designs of Theophilio, Kenneth Nicholson, and Jason Rembert over the past 18 months, they were chosen by Hamilton to share his table, to both showcase the theme of the evening and begin efforts to diversify the fashion world.

“We’re living in a time where diversity and inclusion is so important, and that’s why I started this organization [The Hamilton Commission] within my own sport. I realized it’s very similar in the fashion industry. A lot of young brands and designers don’t have the same opportunities, so that’s what really set me off.”

“The Met is the biggest fashion event of the year, and for this theme, I wanted to create something that was meaningful and would spark a conversation, so that when people see us all together, it will put these Black designers at the top of people’s minds.” Hamilton told Vogue in an interview.

After being cancelled due to covid-19 pandemic last year, the Met Gala, fashion’s biggest event of the year, was back last night in New York City. Cohosted by singer Billie Eilish, poet Amanda Gorman, actor Timothée Chalamet, and tennis player Naomi Osaka, the event undoubtedly makes top billing in the celebrity calendar, drawing the hottest names in the business to showcase their ensembles for the evening and fundraise for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For the 2021 event, the selected theme was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”