The best looks at the Met Gala 2026 turned “Costume Art” into a red carpet shaped by sculpture, performance, and high-impact fashion. Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York on May 4, the annual Costume Institute Benefit celebrated the museum’s new exhibition and its dress code, “Fashion Is Art.” This year’s theme pushed the conversation beyond spectacle, with the exhibition examining how clothing shapes, frames, and responds to the body. It also marked a shift in representation, as “Costume Art” expanded the Costume Institute’s study of the dressed body through disability, aging, pregnancy, body shape, and physical difference, while the carpet carried that conversation into public view. With Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour serving as co-chairs, the night brought together major names across music, film, fashion, sport, and art. DSCENE selected the looks that defined this year’s carpet, from crystal-heavy constructions and sculptural gowns to sharp tailoring, archival references, and custom pieces built for the night.
MET GALA
Beyoncé led the strongest tier in an Olivier Rousteing look embellished to resemble the skeletal system. Rihanna followed in Maison Margiela with over 115,000 crystal beads, antique jewels, and art objects. BLACKPINK made a strong showing on the carpet, with JENNIE choosing a blue Chanel dress by Matthieu Blazy, JISOO making her Met Gala debut in a strapless, backless Dior gazar column dress embroidered with a garden scene and floral bouquets, and ROSÉ wearing Saint Laurent in a silk satin gown with bird detailing, sequins, and pearls, and LISA arriving in custom Robert Wun with an ivory crystal-embroidered sheer gown and veil. Aariana Rose wore Steph Mazuera diamonds, including the Corpo Pendant, Alpi Earrings, Billie Tennis Bracelet, Mosaic Tennis Bracelet, and Joan rings in 18k white gold. Her presence carried a direct link to Costume Art, as she served as one of the real-life models for the exhibition’s custom mannequins.
Sabrina Carpenter wore Dior, pairing a tulle slit dress with rhinestone film-strip appliqué inspired by Sabrina with embroidered fringed cuffs, black stretch tulle gloves, a jeweled headpiece, and Christian Louboutin heels. Blue Ivy Carter wore custom Balenciaga, pairing a white silk super taffeta Balloon Bustier Dress with an optic white leather cropped jacket. Cardi B wore Marc Jacobs, combining a lace ruffle dress, color-blocked bodysuit, and 9½-inch Fetish Boots. A$AP Rocky arrived in custom Chanel, wearing a pink wool robe with black satin lapels.
Hunter Schafer wore Prada in a look that referenced Gustav Klimt’s 1912 painting Mäda Primavesi. Anne Hathaway chose Michael Kors, wearing a gown with hand-painted designs by artist Peter McGough. Venus Williams, one of the night’s co-chairs, wore a Swarovski crystal mesh gown with a necklace inspired by the Wimbledon plate. Nicole Kidman wore Chanel, while Anna Wintour arrived in a feathered Chanel ensemble. Margot Robbie also chose Chanel, Heidi Klum wore custom Mike Marino, and Amanda Seyfried wore a pale pink Prada ballgown. Serena Williams wore Marc Jacobs, choosing a custom silver lamé draped gown with gold leaf accents, paired with gold Italian leather wraparound sandals with handmade leather leaf appliqué. Sarah Paulson wore a Matières Fécales Fall-Winter 2026 look with Opera Leather Gloves, the Money Leather Mask, and Christian Louboutin pumps.
Kendall Jenner wore custom GapStudio by Zac Posen, Gap Inc.’s Executive Vice President and Creative Director, turning the Gap white T-shirt into a sculptural look inspired by Winged Victory of Samothrace. Kylie Jenner wore custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture, choosing a nude ensemble that shifted into a white gown at the hem. Kim Kardashian wore a look by artist Allen Jones, designer duo Whitaker Malem, and creative director Nadia Lee Cohen, featuring a sculpted bronze high-neck breastplate with a hand-painted leather color-block skirt.
Emma Chamberlain wore custom Mugler by Miguel Castro Freitas, moving from nude second-skin organza and georgette with hand-painted spiral ruffles into a deconstructed second look. Tate McRae wore custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin, with a dress inspired by the gilded statues on La Réale, the ceremonial boat of Louis XIV. Damson Idris wore Prada, choosing a black leather coat with red poplin tuxedo cuff detailing, an antiqued red leather top, black leather trousers, and black leather lace-ups.
Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello claimed major space. Hailey Bieber wore an extra-long silk chiffon lavallière, 24-carat-gold sculpted bodice, and silk chiffon skirt. Charli XCX chose a silk tulle and resin iris gown, with hair finished by Matt Benns using Initio Parfums Privés Atomic Rose Hair Perfume. Doja Cat wore a draped chiffon silicone gown with a thigh slit, paired with Kika platform mules, Madonna wore an organza hooded cape over a silk satin and lace slip dress. Zoë Kravitz chose a guipure lace basque-waist gown with Phantom slingback pumps, while Anja Rubik wore an embroidered long-sleeve silk georgette dress with rhinestones. Charlotte Gainsbourg wore a soft leather dress with a long cascading train, Loli Bahia chose grain de poudre tuxedo tailoring, and Rauw Alejandro wore a silicone lavallière shirt with tuxedo pants. Rami Malek arrived in a double-breasted overcoat with an oversized animal-free fur scarf, while Connor Storrie wore an extra-long dotted silk muslin lavallière top with high-rise pants. Kate Moss chose a lace long-sleeve dress with a lace bodysuit, Amelia Gray wore a one-shoulder lace and rhinestone gown, Imaan Hammam chose a ruffled nylon gown, and Anthony Vaccarello wore a grain de poudre tuxedo.
Naomi Osaka wore custom Robert Wun, debuting “The Red Within” with an ivory sculpted coat that opened to reveal a deep red crystal gown featuring 659,000 stitches and over 3,280 hours of handwork. Jordan Roth wore “The Symbiosis Sculpture,” a sand marble-toned velvet gown with velvet nails and earrings. Jaafar Jackson wore Ralph Lauren, pairing a black velvet suit with gold detailing, a black bowtie, red socks, and black ballet-style flats. Sombr wore Valentino, pairing a lamé lace top and tailored trousers with a custom hand-embroidered dégradé cape that took over 500 hours to craft.
Balenciaga continued through Anok Yai in black silk taffeta, Hudson Williams in a light blue wool Torero trompe-l’oeil collar jacket and pants, Stephen Curry in black tailoring, and Ayesha Curry in black silk chiffon with a leather wrap jacket. Burberry brought Cher back after more than a decade in black silk tulle, a leather corset belt, and crystal-covered cropped jacket. Jesse Jo Stark wore fringed silk georgette, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley referenced Madame X in burnt umber, and Romeo Beckham wore a black grain de poudre tuxedo.
Stevie Nicks made her first Met Gala appearance in midnight blue Zara by John Galliano with a silk taffeta crinoline silhouette, rose appliqué, velvet jacket, and Stephen Jones top hat. Sarah Pidgeon wore chartreuse matte satin Loewe, while Isla Johnston wore a sheer beaded Loewe slip dress. Loewe Creative Directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez attended in tailored Loewe suits with classic shirts, ties, and Bobine footwear. Hoyeon wore custom black leather Louis Vuitton with high jewelry and La Beauté Louis Vuitton makeup. Tyla wore Valentino with a beaded bodice and teal skirt, while Yusuf Williams finished her hair with Initio Musk Therapy Hair Perfume.
Eileen Gu wore a short bubble dress by Iris van Herpen. Cara Delevingne wore Ralph Lauren, choosing a black halter-neck dress with black illusion-mesh cap sleeves. Alex Consani wore a Gucci gown and cape by Demna, inspired by Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera. Georgina Rodríguez wore Ludovic de Saint Sernin with Chopard jewelry, choosing a teal corseted gown and matching sheer veil with hand-embroidered lace flowers. Janelle Monáe wore custom Christian Siriano couture.
Cai Xukun, also known as Kun, wore Thom Browne in a sharp jacket and trouser combination. Karina wore Prada, choosing a white satin dress with a tablier neckline embroidered with jet beads and silver crystals, paired with a black satin evening cape, silver leather sandals, Prada Fine Jewelry, and an embroidered white satin clutch. Sam Smith and Christian Cowan attended together in matching black custom Christian Cowan looks inspired by 1920s illustrator and designer Erté.
