Lewis Hamilton's Met Gala outfit inspired by Wales' first black gardener who lived in Gwynedd

Lewis Hamilton was inspired by one of UK's first black gardeners for his Met Gala look this year.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion wore a black outfit and said that he was inspired by eighteenth century gardener John Ystumllyn, who came to Wales from Africa.

The gardener was raised in north Wales in Gwynedd.

Appearing in his fifth Met Gala, when asked about what he was wearing , Lewis said: "Through adversity, he (John Ystumllyn) really triumphed and that's where the inspiration came from."

The Met Gala is held every year. It is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The theme of this year's Met Gala was inspired by J.G. Ballard’s short story called "The Garden of Time."

Who was John Ystumllyn?

According to Cadw, John Ystumllyn was likely to have been a victim of the Atlantic Slave Trade and was taken as a child to the Wynn family's Ystumllyn Estate in Criccieth.

He was taught English and Welsh, and learned horticulture, showing great talent in the estate gardens.

John Ystumllyn died in 1786.

He is the first Black person in North Wales whose life was well recorded.

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