Top Fashion Moments from May 2025: AMVCA Designers, Cannes Looks & What’s Next

May 2025 was a remarkable month in the fashion world, marked by dazzling red carpets, groundbreaking exhibitions, and standout designs from both local and international talents. From the glamour of Cannes to the innovation showcased at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), here’s a comprehensive recap of the month’s fashion highlights, along with a glimpse into upcoming events.

⸻

Cannes Film Festival 2025: A Showcase of Elegance

The 78th Cannes Film Festival, held from May 13 to 24, was a testament to high fashion and cinematic excellence. Celebrities graced the red carpet in ensembles that had us picking our jaws from the floor and a certain fashion house, (whispers Channel), pleasantly surprising us with their recent designs.

Elle Fanning literally had us gasping in the Armani Privé gown. It had such a different vibe from her usual princess aesthetic, especially in the silhouette but she did maintain her usual color palette with the pale blue gown and dusty pink floral appliqués. Her Channel and Valentino looks were also equally stunning.

Elle Fanning in Armani Privé

Picture credit: RCFA (Valery Hache/ACF via Getty images)

Elle Fanning in Valentino

Picture credit: RCFA (Mike Marsland/WireImage)

Simone Ashley was a vision in Vivienne Westwood on the Cannes carpet. Someone said ‘Odette at the Swan Lake’ and they couldn’t be more spot on.

Picture credit: @simoneashley

Alia Bhatt had a Gucci moment in a beautiful and sparkly custom Ghahra Choli outfit embellished all over with Swarovski crystals and the brand monogram.

Picture credit: @aliaabhatt

Wan QianHui’s dreamy cloud-like ivory gown is exactly the kind of serve we expect if you’re going to break the carpet’s rules. The styling was impeccable and she really looked like a fairytale princess.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky as always understood the assignment, both looking dapper with Rihanna’s gorgeous blue dress elegantly and fashionably accentuating her baby bump.

Picture credit: @JustJared

These appearances highlighted the festival’s role as a global fashion stage, where designers and celebrities collaborate to create unforgettable moments.

Miss World 2025

On May 24, the Miss World 2025 pageant featured the Top Model challenge, where contestants showcased designs from leading fashion houses. Notably, Namibia’s Selma Kamanya won the Africa continental title, advancing to the quarterfinals. It was also inspiring and very interesting to watch how the creativity of designers across continents were celebrated during the Best Designer Dress segment, emphasizing the global nature of fashion.

Picture credit: @selma_kamanya

The Designers Behind AMVCA 2025’s Most Talked-About Looks

Veekee James

Renowned for her intricate beadwork and figure-flattering silhouettes, Veekee James once again captivated audiences with her designs at AMVCA 2025. Notably, Mercy Aigbe-Adeoti donned a jaw dropping Veekee James creation that artfully combined elements of the heavenly bodies—with the sun burst bodice of orange and gold, starry black and silver embellished skirt and the crescent moon framing both halves and tying together the vision really nicely. Osas Ighodaro, who is famously loyal to the brand, had some pretty interesting details on her gown too. Most interesting is the use of texture to sell the Mother Nature look, like with the use of a towel in some parts of the gown to mimic the texture of grass and in the brand’s words, ‘creating a masterpiece’ from an innocuous household item like a towel.

Mercy Aigbe wearing VeekeeJames for the AMVCA

Picture credit: @veekeejames_official

Osas Ighodaro wearing VeekeeJames for the AMVCA

Picture credit: @veekeejames_official

Yemi Shoyemi

Yemi Shoyemi‘s designs are the kind that you keep thinking about because they just have that ‘oomph’ about them. At this year’s AMVCA, her creations adorned celebrities like Toni Tones, Angel Anosike, and Seyitan Atigarin, each ensemble unique and reflecting their personal style. Yemi emphasizes the importance of understanding the wearer’s personality and the event’s theme, ensuring that every piece resonates on a personal level.

Toni Tones wearing Yemi Shoyemi for the AMVCA

Picture credit: @yemishoyemi

Angel Anosike wearing Yemi Shoyemi for the AMVCA

Picture credit: @yemishoyemi

Seyitan Atigarin wearing Yemi Shoyemi for the AMVCA

Picture credit: @yemishoyemi

Ambaosa

Ambaosa brings a fresh perspective to the red carpet with her conceptual designs like with Jemima Osunde’s metallic ensemble. Everything from the color, to the silhouette was so aesthetically pleasing and the train was simply sublime.

Jemima Osunde wearing Ambaosa for the AMVCA

Picture credit: @jemimaosunde

May 2025 was really a loaded month for fashion and looking ahead, the fashion calendar remains vibrant with events that promise to set new trends and celebrate creativity, with a whole lot of fashion weeks happening in the coming month of June and we are so excited!

Stay tuned to our blog for all the juicy highlights!