ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Eileen Gu's Met Gala Dress with 15,000 Glass Spheres Blew Bubbles

exhibition · 2026-05-05

During the 2026 Met Gala, Eileen Gu, an Olympic freestyle skier, showcased a tech-couture outfit designed by Iris van Herpen in partnership with A.A. Murakami. Known as the Airo look, the strapless mini dress was adorned with 15,000 meticulously crafted glass spheres that refracted light beautifully. Equipped with air pumps and microprocessors, the dress released bubbles in sync with Gu's movements. The creation of this unique piece took around 2,550 hours, merging traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. The event's theme was 'Fashion Is Art.'

Key facts

  • Eileen Gu wore the dress at the 2026 Met Gala.
  • The dress was designed by Iris van Herpen in collaboration with A.A. Murakami.
  • The dress is named the Airo look.
  • It features 15,000 hand-formed glass spheres.
  • The dress includes air pumps and microprocessors to blow bubbles.
  • The garment took approximately 2,550 hours to complete.
  • The Met Gala theme was 'Fashion Is Art'.
  • The event took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Entities

Artists

  • Eileen Gu
  • Iris van Herpen
  • A.A. Murakami
  • AA Murakami
  • Chris Bellamy
  • Azusa Murakami
  • Alexander Groves
  • Domitille Kiger

Institutions

  • Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Met Gala
  • Dezeen
  • AA Murakami
  • Vogue
  • Brooklyn Museum
  • MoMA
  • Centre Pompidou
  • Venice Biennale
  • Art Basel Switzerland

Locations

  • New York City
  • United States
  • Tokyo
  • Japan
  • London
  • United Kingdom
  • Netherlands
  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Seoul
  • South Korea

Sources