Black Designers Took Over the 2025 BET Awards Red Carpet

At this year’s BET Awards, the Black designers came correct—not just dressing stars, but writing new pages in the style history books, one tailored thread at a time. From Richfresh lacing 41 in stripes that snapped like hi-hats to Megan Renee Smith giving Jennifer Freeman a rockstar gown with Old Hollywood bones, the energy was unmistakable: Black fashion is the moment and the movement.

Rey Jaiteh stitched Gambia into the seams of Leon Thomas’ look, while LaTouche gave Dee Billz his very first suit—and made it feel like armor. These weren’t just outfits, they were origin stories, each designer standing in their purpose, dressing their people, and showing the world what it looks like when Black creativity gets the spotlight—and refuses to dim.

Rey Jaiteh x Leon Thomas

Rey Jaiteh didn’t just dress Leon Thomas for the BET Awards—he dressed a memory. The look was born from dusty beach Sundays in The Gambia, where the sand felt like silk and style was an instinct, not an industry. Rey reached back to those warm tones and layered them with the swagger of ‘70s jazz and rock—raw edge, effortless cool.

When Leon’s “Dancing with Demons” hit his ears, it all snapped into place. Through Harlem’s Fashion Row, fate did its thing, pairing Rey with a muse who already carried the weight of a timeless vibe—soulful, cinematic and just left of predictable.

The suit? Built for movement, not perfection. Rey toyed with structure the way a jazz musician toys with tempo—offbeat, on purpose. Shoulders were softened, silhouettes slightly undone, the kind of tailoring that speaks in riddles under red carpet lights.

As a photographer, he knew how the fabric would flirt with the flash. But beyond the aesthetics, this was about presence. A Black designer dressing a Black artist on a night made for celebrating Black brilliance. That’s not a look—that’s a legacy in motion.

Rich Fresh x 41

For Richfresh, the BET Awards weren’t just another red carpet—they were another runway to redefine what Black luxury looks like when it’s cut, stitched and striped with intention. When rap group 41 tapped him off catalog alone, he knew the assignment. Classic. Fresh. Clean lines. Bold stripes. Tailored heat.

But it wasn’t a copy-paste job. Each look was built to mirror the trio’s own personalities—Tata, Kyle and Jenn came with distinct visions, and stylist AJ acted like the maestro, pulling vibes out of thin air and turning them into fits that spoke louder than a mic drop. Fresh hadn’t clocked 41’s rise before this, but what he saw was ambition with focus—young stars who knew they had somewhere to be. So he gave them a look they’d never worn before and a moment they’ll never forget.

“They not used to dressing like this, but it was a movie,” he said. And as always, he aimed for that sweet spot—where nobody else is standing, where the suit doesn’t just fit but talks. For a Black designer who built his own lane with a needle and thread in Memphis, each stitch is both a flex and a love letter. He’s not chasing relevance—he is the consistency. “I’m just doin’ my job,” he shrugs. But truth be told? The job’s lookin’ legendary.

Megan Renee Smith x Jennifer Freeman

Megan Renee Smith pulled up to the BET Awards with a dress that didn’t just walk the carpet—it owned it. For Jennifer Freeman, she channeled old Hollywood glam through a Black rockstar lens, flipping tradition on its head with embossed leather and ruffled edge. It was elegance with bite, couture with a little chaos—exactly the kind of statement Megan’s known for.

But it wasn’t just the gown that clicked; it was the synergy. Jennifer brought the grace, her stylist, Mickey Boooom, brought the vision, and Megan brought the drama. Together, they built a moment that was both timeless and loud in the best way. “She represents the kind of woman my brand is built for,” Megan said—classy, powerful, unshakeable.

With this year’s BET Awards leaning all the way into high-fashion energy post-Met Gala, Megan made sure her creation didn’t just show up—it left a mark. And for a Black designer dressing a Black star on a night that celebrates Black culture? That’s the dream in motion. It wasn’t all smooth sailing—setbacks hit, plans shifted—but the final product still made magic. “This is only the beginning,” she said. And if this look is any indication, the beginning’s already legendary.

LaTouché suited up Dee Billz for the BET Awards like a tailor with something to prove—and a legacy to stitch. Dee had never worn a suit in public before, but you wouldn’t know it. The fit was bold, the energy louder. Inside the jacket? A money print lining picked by Dee himself—flashy, yes, but personal too.

This wasn’t just style, it was storytelling. LaTouché didn’t just take a vision from Dee’s team—he harmonized it, turned scattered ideas into a tailored symphony. That’s the art. That’s the Black tie alchemy. And for a designer from Spring Valley, NY, watching his work hit the carpet on one of the biggest nights in Black culture? That’s the kind of moment you don’t just celebrate—you cement.

“Every project I touch, I aim to make timeless,” he said. Because in LaTouché’s world, the cut matters, the details matter and the representation, that’s the crown jewel. He’s not just dressing stars—he’s dressing history.

LaTouché x Dee Billz