The Met Gala 2026, held on Monday, May 4, in New York, drew global celebrities who turned the red carpet into a display of ‘fashion as art.’
The event was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its theme, “Costume Art,” and dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” presented fashion as equal to fine art and centered on the dressed body.
The event was co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz as host committee co-chairs.
Here are the Top 7 looks and moments from the event:
1. Anok Yai Was a Walking Bronze Statue!
Sudanese Fashion Model Anok Yai was a “walking statue” at the Met Gala. She worked with Balenciaga creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli to “send a message in a Trump world.” Her body was coated in gold shimmer with sculpted tears and prosthetic hair. Her look was inspired by the Black Madonna and also had a subtle reference to the Mater Dolorosa. For the look, she said, “I don’t want to look like a human being,” and they did just that!
2. Beyonce and Jay-Z Bring Along Blue Ivy
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty
The 2026 Met Gala became a rare family moment for the Carters. Beyoncé attended the event with her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, and her husband, Jay-Z, marking her first return in 10 years. As co-chair, she called it “surreal” and said she was happy to share it with her daughter and see the night “through the eyes of Blue.”
3. Black Celebrities Represent!
Credit: GETTY
Black and African celebrities used the 2026 Met Gala to express their African heritage. Damson Idris wore a bold Prada leather look, while Skepta turned tattoos into embroidery. Ayo Edebiri also referenced Edo heritage in Chanel. Tyla appeared in a custom Valentino peacock-inspired look. The focus was identity and African creativity.
4. Rihanna Shines Like a Diamond Alongside A$AP Rocky!
When asked how Rihanna looked, A$AP Rocky replied, “like a diamond,” and he was right! The duo arrived at the event with a playful, viral moment. Rihanna wore a silver sculptural outfit and jokingly touched Heidi Klum’s statue-like costume, while Rocky, in a Chanel pink coat and tuxedo, reacted by smiling and covering his face. The moment quickly became a meme.
5. Fashion is Art, literally!
Some celebrities took the theme pretty personally, wearing literal artworks on their body. For example, Lisa used digital scans of her body for a sculptural Robert Wun design.
6. When clothing is fun
Some celebrities showed us that clothing can be fun. Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu wore an Iris van Herpen dress made of 15,000 glass bubbles, taking 2,550 hours to complete. The design combined technology and movement, releasing bubbles as she moved. She said it was “a play on surrealism… fun and whimsy.” Ben Platt also wore a silk-wool suit by Tanner Fletcher that was hand-painted and embroidered to reference Georges Seurat’s painting.
7. Indian Celebrities Honor Their Culture
Featured Image: Rihanna Greets Beyonce on the red carpet [GETTY]
Indian celebrities also honored their heritage at the 2026 Met Gala through heavily embroidered designs. Karan Johar wore a Manish Malhotra outfit with hand-painted motifs and zardozi inspired by Raja Ravi Varma. Isha Ambani also appeared in a Gaurav Gupta gold ensemble with diamond and artisan detailing.
The Met exhibition, open from May 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, in the Condé Nast Galleries, includes about 400 objects spanning 5,000 years, arranged by body types rather than periods.
Guests included celebrities such as Chioma Nnadi, Ayo Edebiri, Tyla, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, and Teyana Taylor, among others.
