Met Gala 2026: Standout Fashion Moments from the Red Carpet
New York —
Hundreds of celebrities graced the steps of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday evening for the annual Met Gala, showcasing a range of interpretations under this year’s dress code, “Fashion is Art.”
The guests walked up the front steps against a lush backdrop evocative of Monet, as the museum transformed the venue into a garden-like setting, featuring romantic hanging florals, vibrant hedges, pots of lavender, and a carpet designed to mimic mossy bricks.
This year’s theme corresponds with an exhibit titled “Costume Art” at the Met’s Costume Institute. The gala serves as a crucial fundraising event, and this year it raised a record-breaking $42 million, surpassing last year’s record of $31 million, as confirmed by museum officials before the event.
Among the co-chairs for the evening were prominent figures such as Anna Wintour of Vogue, tennis star Venus Williams, actress Nicole Kidman, and Beyoncé, who made a stunning return to the gala after a decade-long hiatus in a striking skeleton gown designed by Olivier Rousteing, accompanied by her daughter Blue Ivy, marking the latter’s Met Gala debut.
Organizers encouraged guests to “express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form.” Many stars drew inspiration from the annals of art history, with initial outfits subtly nodding to the theme while later arrivals pushed the boundaries of theatricality.
This year’s gala was not without controversy, thanks to the involvement of primary sponsors Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, leading to protests in various parts of New York City, including one individual attempting to breach the event perimeter before being intercepted by police. Sánchez Bezos appeared to make a statement with her ensemble—a Schiaparelli gown that referenced John Singer Sargent’s notorious portrait *Madame X*, which itself stirred controversy.
Notable styles of the night included Beyoncé’s eye-catching skeleton gown, Lisa’s dramatic gown designed by Robert Wun that featured additional pairs of arms, Heidi Klum’s transformation into a living statue, and Bad Bunny’s strikingly aged look.
“I always try to do something different,” Bad Bunny shared on the red carpet, humorously noting it took “53 years” to craft his unique look.
CNN’s Rachel Tashjian contributed to this report.
