The 2026 Met Gala red carpet embraced the theme of “Costume Art” from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, with a dress code celebrating “Fashion is Art.” Despite some controversy over the event’s billionaire sponsorship, celebrities showcased a night of high fashion. Drawing inspiration from classical sculptures like Hellenistic and Roman ideals, as well as iconic artworks, attendees turned the red carpet into a living gallery, showcasing a fusion of centuries of visual culture.
Celebrities like Emma Chamberlain paid homage to Vincent van Gogh and Edvard Munch, Sabrina Carpenter sported a dress incorporating film strips from the 1954 Audrey Hepburn movie “Sabrina,” and Blackpink’s Lisa donned a surreal look inspired by traditional Thai dance. Other standout appearances included Heidi Klum’s illusion look inspired by Raffaelle Monti’s “The Veiled Vestal,” Beyoncé’s crystalline skeleton gown by Olivier Rousteing, and Madonna’s Saint Laurent outfit inspired by Leonora Carrington’s “The Temptation of St. Anthony.”
Kendall Jenner channeled the Winged Victory of Samothrace in Zac Posen, Hailey Bieber paid homage to the 1969 Yves Saint Laurent and Claude Lalanne collaboration, while Bad Bunny transformed into an aging body as part of the Costume Institute exhibition exploration. Chase Infiniti dazzled in a beaded dress inspired by the Venus de Milo, Luke Evans embodied a Tom of Finland figure in Palomo Spain, and Audrey Nuna rocked a Robert Wun creation inspired by Jackson Pollock’s abstract expressionist work.
Angela Bassett stunned in a Prabal Gurung ensemble inspired by Laura Wheeler Waring’s “Girl in a Pink Dress,” Rachel Zegler wowed in a Prabal Gurung outfit inspired by Paul Delaroche’s “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey,” and Cardi B turned heads in a Marc Jacobs creation inspired by Polish artist Hans Bellmer’s surrealist doll works. Hunter Schafer channeled Gustav Klimt’s “Mäda Primavesi” in Prada, while Anok Yai captivated in a Balenciaga look inspired by the Black Madonna.
These celebrity interpretations truly embodied the artistic essence of the night at the Met Gala 2026.