Met Gala 2026: Fashion as Art on the Red Carpet

The 2026 Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, adopted the dress code 'Fashion Is Art,' transforming the red carpet into a dynamic exhibition. Attendees wore garments that directly referenced art history, from painted dresses to sculptural forms. Emma Chamberlain wore a custom Mugler dress hand-painted in the style of Vincent van Gogh. Anne Hathaway's Michael Kors dress, decorated by artist Peter McGough, evoked ancient Greek iconography. Rachel Zegler performed a blindfolded tribute to Paul Delaroche's Lady Jane Grey. Lauren Sanchez and Julianne Moore channeled John Singer Sargent's Madame X. Gracie Abrams and Hunter Schafer incorporated Gustav Klimt's gold and ornamentation. Madonna's Saint Laurent look by Anthony Vaccarello was inspired by Leonora Carrington's The Temptations of Saint Anthony Fragment II. Kendall Jenner interpreted the Nike of Samothrace, while Kylie Jenner referenced the Venus de Milo. Anok Yai, in collaboration with Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga, transformed into a Black Madonna with metallic bronze finish and gold tears. Heidi Klum evoked Raffaelle Monti's Veiled Vestal. Kim Kardashian wore a body armor-inspired look by Allen Jones. Beyoncé appeared in a crystal-encrusted skeleton dress by Olivier Rousteing. Bad Bunny, in Zara, aged himself with makeup, referencing Charles James. The event underscored fashion's capacity to function as critical artistic expression.