The 2026 Met Gala recap - Ep 102
Another Met Gala has come and gone. This year’s exhibition theme is Costume Art and it explores depictions of the dressed body across The Met’s collection, pairing garments with artworks to reveal the inherent relationship between clothing and the body.
The dress code for the year’s Met Gala attendees was Fashion is Art—a broad dress code that was interpreted in lots of different ways, some good some bad.
As a longtime fashion writer, former art history student at Barnard, and magazine editor, I was especially excited for this theme and can’t wait to see the exhibition which opens on May 10th to the public.
From Beyoncé to Bezos, let’s discuss this year’s red carpet looks as well as the carpet itself, who stayed true to the theme and what this year’s gala says about the current state of fashion and art.
Create & consume:
What Austen is creating: getting ready to watch the Super Bowl of fashion reel
What Austen is consuming: Taylor Swift songwriting interview with The New York Times
In this episode:
The scene: Renaissance gardens and billionaire row
Before we even get to the gowns, we have to talk about the atmosphere.
Vogue centered the carpet decor at the museum entrance on a Northern Italian garden concept, drawing on Renaissance design to create a romantic, immersive scene.
This also marked the debut of the Costume Institute’s new Condé M. Nast Galleries, which features pieces from 19 different collecting areas of the museum.
However, the night wasn't without its tensions.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos donated 10 million dollars to the cause, the heavy presence of the billionaire class—including Mark Zuckerberg and Adam Mosseri—drew protests.
While the event continued mostly uninterrupted, video surfaced of Amazon union organizer Chris Smalls being detained outside.
Earlier in the day, a counter-fashion show titled Labor is Art took place on Little West 12th Street, reminding everyone that the hands creating these masterpieces deserve recognition too.
Walking masterpieces: the art history deep dive
Here are some looks that tapped into the art theme and made me think:
Emma Chamberlain: She gave us a melting dress that evoked works like Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Edvard Munch’s Scream. The fringe and silhouette felt like paint dripping off a canvas.
Naomi Osaka: A total showstopper in Robert Wun. It took over 3,280 hours of handiwork and thousands of Swarovski crystals. It was literal, scientific, and breathtaking.
Eileen Gu: She wore Iris Van Herpen featuring over 15,000 glass bubbles. The dress actually had microprocessors that released pressurized gas to make bubbles float as she moved—a perfect marriage of tech and art.
Janelle Monáe: In a Christian Siriano look that used animatronics to comment on AI and how while it seems like it is taking over the earth, earth has the capability to overtake AI
Rihanna: Closing the carpet in Maison Margiela, she referenced Flemish primitive paintings and medieval architecture. Her golden dreams makeup was the cherry on top.
The anatomical trend
The anatomical body was a recurring motif since the exhibition references how the dressed body appears in art.
Beyoncé made a triumphant return as a literal skeleton in a custom Olivier Rousteing creation.
It was a bold, structural nod to the exhibition’s focus on the body.
Similarly, Hailey Bieber wore a custom 24K gold YSL bodice sculpted to her frame, referencing the house's 1960s archives.
On the more literal side, Heidi Klum arrived as a statue inspired by The Veiled Vestal, while Gwendolyn Christie wore a piece of art by British artist Gillian.
Kendall and Kylie Jenner also made appearances with sculpted bodices and corsets.
The outfit matrix
I’ve broken down the night into four distinct categories based on how well guests navigated the Fashion is Art prompt with my personal opinions on who nailed both theme and fit.
On Theme and Stylish:
Emma Chamberlain
Naomi Osaka
Angela Bassett
Lisa
Venus Williams
Beyoncé
Rihanna
Blake Lively
Hailey Bieber
Sabrina Carpenter
Eileen Gu
Hudson Williams
Coleman Domingo
On theme but not stylish:
Lauren Sanchez Bezos
Lena Dunham
Heidi Klum
Cardi B
Hunter Schaffer
Bad Bunny
SZA
Not on theme but stylish:
Nicole Kidman
Zoe Kravitz
Doja Cat
Sarah Pigeon
Amanda Seyfried
Connor Storrie
Not on theme and not stylish:
Charli XCX
Margo Robbie
Emily Blunt
Stanley Tucci
Notable absences
Who would have understood and crushed this theme, had they chosen to attend:
Lady Gaga
Miley Cyrus
Taylor Swift
Chappel Roan
Meryl Streep
Zendaya
Bella Hadid
Lana del Rey
Beauty looks
The glam this year was just as artistic as the clothes.
Zoe Kravitz’s wet-look braids and baby hairs were a highlight, and I personally loved Anne Hathaway’s smokey eye and high bun.
Gigi Hadid made a bold choice by skipping mascara entirely to lean into a romantic, night-in-the-garden aesthetic.
Summary:
While we missed some icons like Zendaya, Lady Gaga, and Zendaya (who I think would have understood this theme better than almost anyone), the 2026 Met Gala was once again a mixed bag of theme interpretations, but raised a record-breaking sum for the musuem.
For the full breakdown make sure to listen to the latest episode of the podcast!
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