American artistic gymnast and 2020 Olympics all-around champion Sunisa Lee was a vision to behold at last night’s Met Gala. The athlete donned a yellow gold two-piece that took 75 hours to create designed by Senegalese luxury brand Sukeina led by Omar Salam in line with the theme for this year “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.”
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Nigerian stylist and former Director of ELLE Magazine South Africa Dimeji Alara was also on board as the fashion director. The pair collaborated to bring forth an amazing artistic masterpiece. Keep scrolling to read our exclusive interview with Dimeji.
BNS: What was the creative process like?
Dimeji: The request came from Vogue and Anna Wintour. They reached out asking if we could make a custom Sukeina dress for Suni Lee who will be attending as a guest of Victoria Secret. Omar Salam and I sent a few options and they opted for the final look.
They wanted it to be in all gold because of her gold medal and what it represents. It took 75 hours of braiding and draping. We wanted to create a dress that was grand but not so much that it would make her disappear. This is the first time I’m collaborating with a designer on a look, so I really want to thank Omar Salam of Sukeina for making me a part of this!
BNS: What was the inspiration behind Sunisa’s Look?
Dimeji: Suni Lee is fast becoming America’s sweetheart and this year’s theme was American Independence. Anna wanted it to reflect her gold medal and what she represents for America.
BNS: Apart from Sunisa Lee, which other celeb looks stood out for you?
Dimeji: There were a lot of interesting looks this year. Besides Suni Lee, but the meaning behind the illustrious Amanda Gorman look by Vera Wang truly caught our eye and captured our attention.
Credits:
Fashion Director: @dimejialara
Creative Director: @o.m.a.r.s.a.l.a.m