It’s approaching the early evening on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Onlookers are eagerly setting their gaze upon the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the repetitive sound of camera clicks are competing with the bustling noise of the city, and the world’s biggest A-listers are occupied with putting together the final touches of their looks for the night. Why? It’s the first Monday in May, aka The Met Gala, aka fashion’s biggest night out.
Controversy has surrounded the 2026 edition of the event long before the museum was infiltrated by couture. Held annually as a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the gala has always attracted the world’s wealthiest, however it was announced in mid-November that this year would be financed by tech-billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez. This was met with significant backlash, with New York’s mayor and First Lady (Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji) opting to boycott altogether as a protest to the 1%. Regardless, the most awaited evening on the fashion calendar would go ahead, with honorary chair Sanchez appearing early on the carpet in a custom Schiaparelli gown (there were murmurs that she had purchased exclusivity with the brand, though that was later disproven) referencing the 1884 portrait ‘Madame X’.
She wasn’t the only one reimagining a work of art. It’s become quite the tradition for social media critics to slam celebrities for missing the theme, yet that was not the case for 2026. A vague dress code of ‘Fashion is Art’ left the door wide open for interpretation, and the attendees absolutely delivered. The carpet was packed with thoughtful references to ancient sculptures and intricate paintings from both new names to Met Gala veterans.
All images: Getty
Emma Chamberlain in Mugler
The YouTuber-turned-fashion icon was, as per usual, one of the first to take to the steps as she resumed her hosting duties with Vogue for the sixth consecutive year, and she placed the bar irrefutably high for those that followed her. Decked out in a custom Mugler gown by Miguel Castro Freitas, Chamberlain (whose father is a painter coincidentally) completely embodied the theme in every possible way. The body-hugging mermaid-effect dress in was derived from an initial brainstorm between herself and stylist Jared Ellner, who opted to draw inspiration from the likes of Vincent van Gough, Edward Munch and Thierry Mugler himself, before the brand enlisted Chicago-born artist Anna Deller-Yee (who has previously collaborated with Schiaparelli and Marni) to hand paint the detailed design. Consisting of approximately 30 base colours and taking over 40 hours of work to create, the end result was astounding.
Kendall Jenner in custom Gap Studio
The elder of the Jenner sisters has had some memorable Met moments over the years: the orange Versace in 2019; archival Givenchy by Alexander McQueen in 2024, and now Gap Studio by Zac Posen in 2026. It was the American designer initially who reached out to Jenner expressing a desire to dress her for the night, and thankfully the obliged, as the result was spectacular. The almost-sheer floor length dress was a direct reference to the Winged Victory of Samothrace which stands proudly in the Louvre, with the soft draping adding another nod to Ancient Greek culture. Following the photo opportunities on the carpet, the supermodel revealed an extravagant set of wings which mirror the statue exactly.
Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo in custom Jean Paul Gaultier
Jenner wasn’t the only attendee influenced by the renowned Grecian statute from 200bc. Tech investor and entrepreneur Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo demonstrated her love and knowledge of haute couture (as a self-proclaimed collector) with a breathtaking white look designed by none other than herself. Inspired by a lifelong favourite collection of hers (Dior SS07 couture by John Galliano) and the art of Japanese origami, Kuo envisioned a gown complete with a recreation of the Winged Victory of Samothrace just south of the waist, and took it to the team at Jean Paul Gaultier to have it brought to life.
Bad Bunny in custom Zara
The Puerto-Rican singer was also responsible for designing his own look, though opted to create it with high-street retailer Zara (who clothed him for his Super Bowl performance) instead of a typical high-fashion house. Ultimately, he wore what some may consider to be a slightly bland black suit (although it did feature an oversized pussy bow similar to that on Charles James’ 1947 ‘Bustle’ gown), however nobodies eyes were on his clothes. With the help of makeup artist Mike Marino, the musician transformed into an older version of himself, complete with grey hair and contacts to wash out his eyes. He took the theme in a different (though completely valid) direction, offering a nod to how growing old is an art. In a room full of plastic surgery and fillers, this sweet acknowledgment to aging gracefully was rather touching.
Kylie Jenner in custom Schiaparelli
Kylie Jenner mirrored her sister with another reference to the Ancient Greeks, this time recreating The Venus de Milo (which is equally displayed in The Louvre). She embraced naked dressing, with the bodice resembling a nude chest before falling into an intricately beaded skirt by Daniel Roseberry. Whilst the resemblance to the statue is undeniable, the upper-half of the look could also be considered a reinterpretation of the 1933 portrait of the house founder Elsa Schiaparelli by Man Ray. She completed the look with a set of bleached eyebrows, signifying another step away from the heavy glamour we grew to expect from her in the early days of her career.
Sabrina Carpenter in custom Dior
The theme ‘Fashion is Art’ is incredibly vast; art could refer to paintings, theatre, music and so much more. Jonathan Anderson turned to film as a point of reference when creating a look for Sabrina Carpenter, aptly selecting Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 ‘Sabrina’ to produce a memorable, witty red-carpet moment. The dress consisted of a full body-wrap of rhinestoned film strips from the original production, perfectly encapsulating old-Hollywood glamour with a clever twist. Carpenter (who was also dressed by Dior for her Coachella performances) would later take to the stage to entertain in a vibrant Andy Warhol inspired gown from Versaces’s SS18 collection.
Madonna in custom Saint Laurent
Carpenter’s stage mate from weekend two of Coachella caused a stir on the steps with a look that could be considered extravagant even for the Met Gala. Designed by Anthony Vaccarello, the ‘Vogue’ singer stepped out looking virtually unrecognisable in a black gown, complete with an intricate headpiece in the shape of a ship with an extensive veil trickling down. Oh, and she was assisted by seven ladies in waiting, each sporting pastel lingerie dresses and sheer blindfolds. The look (or to put it more appropriately, performance) was a direct recreation of a small part of a reasonably niche 1974 painting entitled ‘The Temptation of St Anthony’ by surrealist Leonora Carrington.
Beyonce in custom Olivier Rousteing
Following a 10-year absence from the world-famous steps, Beyoncé finally made her return to the Met Gala (unsurprisingly, given that she was acting as a co-chair) and opted for a custom gown by longtime friend Olivier Rousteing (formerly of Balmain) to do so. He certainly produced her a showstopper. The anatomical dress was loosely based on the 1944 painting ‘Visitor’ by Caroline Durieux which depicts a skeletal woman in a sheer dress with flouncing sleeves. From the crystallised skeleton figure, to the coordinating crown and flowing train, the Cowboy Carter singer reminded the world that fashion is in her bones.
Gracie Abrams in custom Chanel
His talent is undeniable, but Matthieu Blazy’s inaugural Met with Chanel wasn’t all that memorable. That is of course, with the exception of Gracie Abrams. The face of the Coco Crush jewellery line demonstrated how to make the perfect art reference as she brought Gustav Klimt’s early 20th century ‘The Lady in Gold’ portrait to life. Secured with a jewel-encrusted halter neck, the romantic gown fell into a modest train, complimented by minimal makeup and a pixie cut. Klimt proved to be a popular frame of reference, with Hunter Schafer stepping out in a Prada dress inspired by one of his portraits.
Gustav Magnar Witzoe in custom Robert Wun
Bezos wasn’t then only billionaire of the night. Young Norwegian shareholder Gustav Magnar Witzoe was also in attendance, although in a look which certainly delivered. Though, of course it did, it was Robert Wun after all. Inspired by a look from SS26 couture, Witzoe put other men to shame in an anatomical trompe-l’œil printed jumpsuit, embracing the idea that the human body is in fact art.
Audrey Nuna in Robert Wun
The Hong-Kong based designer dressed the most celebrities of the evening (seven, to be exact), and it’s clear to see why so many gravitated towards him. Audrey Nuna opted for a look from his FW25 couture collection, which originally drew inspiration from the 1948 contemporary piece of art, ‘Number 26 A Black & White’ by Jackson Pollard. It’s almost as if Wun had pre-empted the theme years before it was even announced.
Rihanna in custom Maison Margiela
Rihanna was fashionably late to the carpet, although when you’re Rihanna, it’s more than okay. She’d only outshine others anyway. This year, she turned to Glenn Martens of Maison Margiela, and her look, to put it simply, embodied the words ‘Fashion is Art’. Initially appearing in the FW25 couture collection, the draped column silhouette was inspired by the medieval architecture of Flanders (where Martens hails from), and hand sculpted from duchess woven silk and recycled metal threads. To customise the look, a corset featuring over 115,000 beads, antique jewels and chains was added just for the singer, perfectly complimenting her art-deco inspired headpiece.
