The 2026 Met Gala showcased celebrities embracing the Costume Institute’s “Costume Art” theme and “Fashion is Art” dress code, exploring the connection between clothing and art over 5,000 years. Despite controversies surrounding the event’s billionaire support, the red carpet witnessed a display of fashion theater. Attendees transformed the carpet into a gallery, drawing inspiration from classical sculpture, iconic artworks, and centuries of visual culture.
Celebrities like Emma Chamberlain channeled Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch, Sabrina Carpenter wore a dress incorporating film strips from the 1954 movie “Sabrina,” and Blackpink’s Lisa donned a surreal look inspired by traditional Thai dance. Other noteworthy appearances included Heidi Klum as “The Veiled Vestal,” Beyoncé in a crystalline skeleton gown, Madonna as “The Temptation of St. Anthony,” Kendall Jenner as “Winged Victory,” Hailey Bieber in homage to a 1969 YSL collaboration, Bad Bunny in a prosthetic transformation, Chase Infiniti as the “Venus de Milo,” Luke Evans as a Tom of Finland figure, Audrey Nuna in abstract expressionism, Angela Bassett as the “Girl in a Pink Dress,” Rachel Zegler as “Lady Jane Grey,” Cardi B as “The Doll,” Hunter Schafer as Gustav Klimt’s “Mäda Primavesi,” and Anok Yai as the Black Madonna.
These interpretations exemplified the artistic essence of the gala, resonating with the night’s thematic exploration.