The intersection of art and fashion is being celebrated at the annual Met Gala, a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which takes place on the first Monday in May — ahead of the opening of the institute’s marquee spring exhibition.
This year’s exhibit, Costume Art, explores the relationship between bodies and clothing, and highlights connections between garments and objects across the museum’s collection. The dress code, “Fashion is Art,” reflects that theme and set the tone for the evening’s red carpet.
Beyond raising tens of millions of dollars for the New York City museum, the star-studded Met Gala has also become a must-see convergence of fashion insiders, A-list celebrities and the ultra-wealthy.
The announcement that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, would serve as honorary chairs and key sponsors of this year’s Met Gala prompted backlash and calls for a boycott from some groups.
Disdain for the new partnership with the billionaire couple builds on broader criticism of the Met Gala’s focus on wealth and exclusivity. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a longtime critic of those dynamics, said he’d skip the event to focus on affordability in the city.
But plenty of stars attended.
In addition to Vogue global editorial director Anna Wintour, this year’s co-chairs include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams. Members of the host committee — including Sabrina Carpenter, Zoë Kravitz, Doja Cat and Teyana Taylor — also attended, alongside a wide range of celebrities from fashion, film, television, music and sports.
Fitting for the theme, the red carpet featured bold, art-inspired looks, languorous, statue-inspired ensembles and elaborate headpieces and masks — including one fashioned from an American dollar bill that was worn by actor Sarah Paulson.
Here are the must-see looks from the 2026 Met Gala red carpet.
Beyoncé
A co-chair of the event, Beyoncé walked the red carpet with her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, and husband, Jay-Z, in a heavily embellished skeleton gown by French designer Olivier Rousteing, paired with a sweeping, ombré blue feathered train.
Sabrina Carpenter
Singer Sabrina Carpenter wore a custom black halter dress by Dior designer Jonathan Anderson, crafted in part with film strips from Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 film Sabrina and accessorized with a glamorous jewelled headpiece.
Connor Storrie
The Heated Rivalry star wore a polka-dot halter top and tailored trousers by Saint Laurent, accessorized with Tiffany & Co. earrings and a gold Omega watch.
Serena Williams
Athlete Serena Williams shone in a draped, asymmetric silver mini dress and gold sandals by Marc Jacobs with David Yurman jewelry.
Emma Chamberlain
Podcaster, online influencer and creator Emma Chamberlain, who’s serving as a Vogue red carpet correspondent again this year, wore a custom, multicoloured, hand-painted Mugler gown with fringed sleeves.
Ashley Graham
Model Ashley Graham was sewn into her nude-coloured mesh gown by designer Dimitra Petsa of Di Petsa. The serpent-skin-inspired dress created a second-skin effect, with draped detailing that mimicked scales. She paired the look with metallic nails and silver-dipped fingertips.
Nicole Kidman
A co-chair of the event, Kidman walked the red carpet with her daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban. She wore red, sequined Chanel gown with feathered trim at the waist and sleeves.
Lisa
Actress and Blackpink member Lisa made a dramatic entrance in a veiled white ensemble by Robert Wun. The surreal custom look was reportedly inspired by traditional Thai dance positions as well as the designer’s fall 2025 couture collection.
Tschabalala Self
Artist and host committee member Tschabalala Self wore a structured, grey-and-silver bubble-hem dress by New York-based designer Brandon Blackwood, styled with matching pumps and a sculptural clutch.
Katy Perry
Singer Katy Perry, who attended without her beau, former prime minister Justin Trudeau, wore a cream strapless gown, made with deadstock, and a sculptural silver face mask by Miodrag Guberinic, which she lifted on the red carpet to reveal her face.
Naomi Osaka
Tennis player Naomi Osaka wore a dramatic, red-and-black feathered look by London-based designer Robert Wun, complete with co-ordinating sheer mesh gloves and a hat by milliner Awon Golding. A similar look is on display as part of the Costume Art exhibition.
Rosé
The singer and Blackpink member Rosé wore a black strapless Saint Laurent gown featuring an oversized, embellished bird motif, paired with a Tiffany & Co. diamond necklace.
Janelle Monáe
Singer Janelle Monáe, who never hesitates to go all out on the red carpet, wore a surreal Christian Siriano gown constructed with electrical wires, cables, live moss, succulents and animatronic butterflies.
Patrick Schwarzenegger
Actor Patrick Schwarzenegger wore a handsome black corseted look topped with a boxy cropped leather jacket by Public School, accessorized with gloves and a cane.
Ephraim Sykes
Among the many standout all-white ensembles on the carpet was actor and singer Ephraim Sykes, who wore an angelic caped suiting look that leaned into the night’s art-inspired theme. The sculptural cape is from Who Decides War’s Spring 2026 runway collection.
Yseult
The singer and model Yseult wore a custom black and gold demi-couture gown by British-American designer Harris Reed, which took 400 hours to bead and is described by the designer as “an homage to the body.”
Sarah Paulson
Actress Sarah Paulson made a bold statement in a custom grey gown by Paris-based, Canadian-designed label Matières Fécales. The mask over her eyes? A U.S. dollar bill.
Tate McRae
Canadian singer Tate McRae wore a golden off-the-shoulder gown by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, featuring feathered embellishments and a ruffled mermaid hem.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrived arm-in-arm and fashionably late, with Rihanna in a metallic Maison Margiela gown by Glenn Martens, embellished with 115,000 beads, and A$AP Rocky in a pink wool robe and fine jewelry by Chanel.
