Met Gala 2026: Costume Art and Fashion Is Art

New York City is getting ready for another of fashion’s most photographed evenings. On the first Monday in May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will once again host a celebration bringing celebrities, designers and cultural institutions together in one setting, where fashion becomes both a language and a spectacle.

New York City is preparing for another of the fashion world’s most photographed nights. On the first Monday of May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art again provides the setting for an event that unites celebrities, creators and cultural institutions, turning fashion into a form of expression and performance.

Met Gala 2026: Costume Art and Fashion Is Art

This year, "Costume Art" sets the framework for a consideration of clothing’s place in art history. The Costume Institute exhibition creates a dialogue between fashion pieces and works from different eras, offering a broader interpretation of the dressed body as an artistic and cultural object.

The "dress code", "Fashion Is Art" (Fashion is art), extends this concept to the carpet – which is not actually red – allowing room for free and personal interpretations, as every guest shapes their own visual narrative before one of global culture’s largest audiences.

The 2026 edition will feature Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams as co-chairs of the event led by Anna Wintour. Beyoncé’s return after a decade away is among the evening’s most anticipated moments.

The guest list remains under wraps until the event date, although it is expected to bring together around 400 figures from fashion, film, music and sport.

Exhibition and diversity

Opening to the public on 10 May, the exhibition will run until January 2027. It features more than 200 mannequins and presents new approaches to depicting the human body, using models designed to reflect different physical and identity realities.

The project includes contributions from figures such as Sinéad Burke and Aimee Mullins, reflecting a commitment to diversity and to reassessing traditional standards in fashion museology.

Funding, sponsors and the Met Gala

The Met Gala remains the Costume Institute’s main funding source, supporting a collection of more than 33,000 objects. In 2025, the event raised around $31 million, securing conservation, research and programming.

The event will again be accompanied by debate surrounding its sponsors, with the attendance of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos reviving discussion about economic inequality and the role of private funding in culture.

Nevertheless, the gala retains its standing as one of the most influential events on the international calendar, where fashion, art and power continually converge. Vogue will broadcast the carpet, presented by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony and Cara Delevingne. Emma Chamberlain returns as a correspondent.