May 8, 2025: Music icon Diana Ross made a powerful and emotional statement at the 2025 Met Gala on Monday, May 5, not just with her show-stopping outfit but by paying tribute to the most important people in her life—her children and grandchildren. The 81-year-old legend stunned on the red carpet in an 18-foot feathered shawl that took six people to manage, but the real showpiece was hidden beneath the train: the embroidered names of her five children and eight grandchildren.
Designed by her son Evan Ross in collaboration with designer Ugo Mozie, the custom ensemble was as personal as it was glamorous. Ross, who is currently on tour, revealed to Vogue’s red carpet host La La Anthony that she almost didn’t attend the event but was persuaded at the last minute by Evan. “Well, there was not a plan. Everything was really, really at last moment. My son persuaded me, ’cause I’m actually on tour,” she shared.
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Ross’s rare appearance was made even more special when she posed for photos with her entire family — a moment that captured three generations. Her five children — Rhonda (53), Tracee (52), Chudney (49), Ross (37), and Evan (36) — were present, flanking her in the emotional group portraits. On her left stood Evan, Chudney, and Ross, while Rhonda and Tracee stood proudly to her right.
The second family photo featured all eight of her grandchildren: Bronx, Ziggy, Jagger, Everlee, Leif, Indigo, Callaway, and Raif. They stood beside their legendary grandmother, beaming as part of a legacy that stretches from Motown to the Met.
Ross shares her eldest daughter, Rhonda, with Motown founder Berry Gordy. She later had Tracee and Chudney with first husband Robert Ellis Silberstein. After divorcing in 1977, she married Norwegian businessman Arne Naess Jr. in 1986 and had sons Ross and Evan.
The singer became a grandmother in 2009 when Rhonda welcomed Raif-Henok Kendrick. Since then, her family has grown steadily. Chudney has two daughters, Callaway and Everlee, with husband Joshua Faulkner. Evan and wife Ashlee Simpson share two children, Jagger and Ziggy, and Diana is also step-grandmother to Bronx Mowgli Wentz, Ashlee’s son with Pete Wentz. Ross Naess and his wife Kimberly Ryan have three children: Leif, Indigo, and one more.
The “Upside Down” and “Endless Love” singer didn’t just inspire with her personal tribute — she also served as the creative muse for others. Zendaya, one of the evening’s standout fashion stars, wore a custom Louis Vuitton white zoot suit inspired by Diana Ross’s look in the 1975 film Mahogany, as confirmed by Vogue.
The Met Gala’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” proved a fitting backdrop for Ross, whose decades-long influence in music, fashion, and culture was celebrated not just in words but in the presence of her thriving, multigenerational family. The evening was a poignant reminder that for Diana Ross, legacy isn’t just about stardom — it’s about love.