Noah Lyles is many things. Being an Icon, a Champion, and Controversy 101 are a few of them. After all, from his swift performances on the track to his ability to rile up just about anyone, he managed to stay in the spotlight, with or without races. But these days, it seems he has a new outlet that is making eyes turn. No, this time it isn’t about GST. Nor is it by Tyreek Hill. This time it is all about the glam. Yep, you heard that right. The self-proclaimed fastest man on the planet is stepping into the world of fashion. And he just might’ve chosen the best stage to make his mark.
So, where did the man show himself? Well, the Met Gala, of course. After all, he doesn’t just want to be seen but to make a statement. And what’s better than Fashion’s Biggest Night? And now, fresh from rubbing shoulders with style elites at the Gala, the Olympic champion isn’t in the mood to hold back. His message? Fashion is more than fabric. No, it’s identity. But when others show up to the Met like it’s a costume party gone rogue, Lyles can’t help but raise an eyebrow.
Before he embraced the glitz of runways and red carpets, Lyles had zero interest in what he wore. But once he turned pro at 19 and moved in with his brother, something shifted. Frequent mall trips exposed him to luxury brands, and soon he began using style to express moods. Whether “dark and brooding” or “joyous and wild.” “It’s another place to create,” Lyles explained in an interaction with Cam Newton.
“It’s another place for me to be me… Sometimes I will not wear certain things because that’s not how I feel right now,” he added. Fashion, to him, is no gimmick but a mirror of the soul. So when he stepped into the high-profile chaos of the Met Gala, not once, but twice, Lyles brought that creative energy with him. But not everyone did. Looking back at his first visit, he didn’t hide his dismay.
“The theme was American colonialism,” Lyles said, “and I saw some wild stuff, people showing up with horse masks on their chests… I don’t know if they cared about the theme.” His voice carried a blend of confusion and disappointment. “Some people showed up in chains, some just in regular tuxedos… I don’t think they cared about the theme that year,” Lyles chimed in.
For someone who views fashion as intentional and expressive, the disregard felt like a missed opportunity. And surely a lack of respect for the craft. His second Met Gala experience, however, struck a different chord. “This one was black,” he emphasized with pride. “Everybody looked like they were in their Sunday best.” He vividly described the regal display: black men in suits “dressed to the nines,” with crowns, rings, and confidence.
For Lyles, it wasn’t just stylish but powerful. “I’m watching them flaring out… I’m like, ‘Okay, this is nice.’” After all, here it wasn’t just about the performance. And Lyles’s love for fashion runs deeper than aesthetics. He’s quick to praise brands and designers who bring vision to the table, but he’s even more passionate about people expressing themselves honestly.
“I’m not a fan of stacking pants,” he admitted with a shrug, “but I’m never going to say, ‘That’s horrible, don’t ever do that again.’” For Lyles, the point isn’t conformity. It’s authenticity. That freedom to feel and to be seen is what fuels his fashion journey. With names like Pharrell, Tyler Perry, and Lewis Hamilton dropping into his orbit, and moments like Anna Wintour remembering him from a past encounter, Lyles has made a mark.
Yet, even in such elite company, he stays grounded in his purpose: to be himself loudly, creatively, and unapologetically. Whether on the track or the red carpet, Noah Lyles is running his race. And this time, he’s doing it in style. With his recent visit to the Met Gala, the Olympic gold medalist turned a lot of heads.
Noah Lyles stunned in pearls and precision at the Met Gala
Noah Lyles didn’t just show up to the Met Gala, but he also made a statement! Dressed in a sharply tailored Thom Browne suit, the Olympic gold medalist brought his signature flair to the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” theme. But it wasn’t just the cut of his suit or the prestige of his designer that turned heads. It was the pearls.
Styled with Ana Khouri jewelry and that unmistakable Lyles’ confidence, the track star once again proved that his fashion sense rivals his sprinting prowess. Walking the carpet alongside Khouri, not his fiancée Junelle Bromfield, Lyles embraced the spotlight with his signature pearl accessories, a motif that’s followed him from the track to fashion’s biggest night.
The same pearls he famously wore in his hair during the 2024 Olympics now dangled subtly as part of his high-fashion ensemble, connecting his athletic dominance to his bold off-track identity. “He is just stylish,” his stylist Kwasi Kessie said last summer. Kessie added, “He doesn’t have one [style]… It depends on the intention for the outfit and the energy that he wants to portray.”
That intent came through clearly on the Met steps. For Lyles, every red carpet moment is an extension of his mission: bringing energy, elegance, and visibility to track and field. As Kessie put it, “If you have the fashion people excited about track and field, that’s a great thing.” With his Met Gala moment, Lyles wasn’t just dressing up. No, he was, once again, setting the pace.
The post Using Fashion to Express Emotions, Noah Lyles Drops Blunt Met Gala Following Latest Appearance appeared first on EssentiallySports.