The 2026 Met Gala brought fashion, spectacle, and viral moments in abundance. And Kiyan Anthony’s mom La La Anthony delivered all three. Serving as a co-host for Vogue’s official red carpet livestream alongside Ashley Graham and Cara Delevingne, she turned heads in a custom Wiederhoeft gown that felt tailor-made for the evening’s “Fashion Is Art” theme. As she said ““I wanted my look to feel like a piece of art that you could literally hang up on a wall.” And of course, she did turn out to be a very admirable piece of art, because when she shared the looks on her official Instagram page, the post, as expected, took off.

It drew a flood of compliments from fans and fellow celebrities alike from across the world. But perhaps the most endearing response of all came from the person closest to her; her son. Kiyan Anthony re-shared his mom’s post on his Instagram story, adding a caption that was short, sweet, and said everything it needed to: “the Showstopper ♥️.”

Can we blame him? Well, this was La La’s sixth consecutive year anchoring Vogue’s official red carpet livestream at the Met Gala. And each year, she seems to arrive with something even more stunning than the last. For Kiyan Anthony, publicly celebrating his mother’s fashion moments is practically a tradition at this point. Because this is far from the first time he has shown up in her comments or on his story to make clear just how proud he is of her. 

There has always been quite a bond between Kiyan Anthony and his mom La La Anthony. And they have never been shy about making that visible. La La is a familiar face in the stands at Syracuse, showing up for Kiyan’s basketball games with utmost dedication. And Kiyan returns that energy in full by supporting her high-profile fashion moments online whether it’s the Met Gala, a magazine cover, or a milestone moment in her world.

Off the red carpet and back on the hardwood, Kiyan Anthony is currently gearing up for his sophomore season at Syracuse after announcing in April that he would be returning to the team for another year. His freshman campaign remained a learning experience by and large. Anthony appeared in 29 games, largely coming off the bench, and averaging 18.7 minutes per game. And in terms of numbers, he put up 8.0 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 39.9% from the field and 25.4% from beyond the arc. It was the kind of season that gives a player plenty to build on heading into year two.

And as he sets his sights on making that sophomore leap, one thing is already guaranteed, LaLa Anthony will be in the stands cheering him on every step of the way, just as she always has been. And of course Kiyan will be returning the favor from the sidelines of her world too, for as long as she keeps showing up.

La La Anthony Names Son Kiyan Her “Most Influential Person” in Heartfelt Admission

La La Anthony has associated with quite a number of high-profile figures over the years. Perhaps none has been more prominent than Carmelo Anthony, Kiyan’s father and her former husband of over a decade before their 2021 divorce. But in the years since that separation, La La has settled comfortably and confidently into a different kind of identity. Her role as a mother has become not just a private priority but a defining part of her public persona. It’s something she owns openly, speaks about freely, and has made central to who she is.

That showed again at a recent Entertainment Tonight red carpet event, where she referred to Kiyan as the most influential person in her life. “He’s 19 years old. His name is Kiyan Anthony. It’s my son. He is definitely the most influential person in my life,” she said. “I love him so much. He made me a mom. So yes, the most influential person in my life and the only one who could tell me what to do.”

Born on March 7, 2007, Kiyan is La La’s only child. While Kiyan does have a younger half-sister on his father’s side, Genesis Harlo Anthony, fathered by Carmelo Anthony with Mia Burks in 2017, it is the relationship with his mom that appears to be his closest family connection. And the bond between them is one he has always spoken about. In a 2025 interview, Kiyan described their relationship saying: “My relationship with my mom, we’re locked in. That’s my ride-or-die.”

And Kiyan has gone further than words to show what his mother means to him. While still in high school, he had a large portrait of La La tattooed on his arm. Beneath the portrait, an inscription reads: “Dear Mom, you continuously put me before yourself. You are my why. I thank God for you every day.” For a teenager to make that kind of declaration, in that kind of permanent way, speaks volumes about the depth of what they share.