As the world eagerly awaits fashion’s biggest night, South African star Tyla has once again proven herself a sartorial force to be reckoned with. This weekend, the Grammy-winning artist stunned in a look from Nigerian-British designer Tolu Coker’s Autumn/Winter 2025 collection, ORI—Upon Reflection, solidifying her place at the forefront of global style and cultural storytelling.
Photographed just hours before her anticipated Met Gala debut, Tyla wore a sculptural, hand-dyed ensemble that merged traditional Yoruba symbolism with futuristic design. The garment, part of Coker’s AW25 collection shown earlier this year in London, features intricate handwoven textures, bold silhouette draping, and headpiece elements that pay homage to ori—the Yoruba concept of inner spirit or consciousness.
Tolu Coker, long celebrated for weaving heritage and innovation through fashion, described ORI as “a meditation on Black identity, ancestral wisdom, and the divine self.” Tyla’s interpretation of the look captured all of that and more. Styled by her longtime collaborator Katie Qian, the singer’s appearance emphasized her deepening commitment to using fashion as an extension of her African identity and a form of cultural reverence on the global stage.
In many ways, Tyla and Coker’s collaboration feels inevitable. Both women are shaping new narratives around African excellence—Coker through her sustainable, diasporic fashion lens, and Tyla through her genre-blurring music and boundary-pushing visuals. Tyla’s decision to wear a look from ORI ahead of the Met Gala is more than a fashion moment; it’s a statement of intent.
As Met Gala themes increasingly gesture toward inclusivity and reimagination, Tyla’s pre-Gala appearance in Coker’s design reads like a prologue. It previews a new era where African spirituality, style, and storytelling are centered—not as trend, but as foundation.
Whether she’s bending sound in global amapiano or embracing avant-garde African fashion, Tyla continues to embody a fearless form of beauty rooted in culture and futurism. With ORI—Upon Reflection, she doesn’t just wear the clothes—she reflects the spirit behind them.
