NEW YORK, (GNP): The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s iconic stone steps were transformed into a living canvas on Monday evening as the world’s most celebrated artists, actors, athletes, and designers gathered for the 2026 Met Gala, fashion’s most anticipated annual event. This year’s theme, “Costume Art,” challenged every guest to wear their interpretation of fine art, and the response was nothing short of extraordinary.
The evening opened with a theatrical flourish as Broadway star Joshua Henry performed Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody live on the museum steps, dressed to resemble a moss-covered garden, backed by a full band and dancers.
Co-chairs set the standard at Met Gala:
This year’s Gala was co-chaired by singer Beyoncé, actress Nicole Kidman, tennis legend Venus Williams, and Vogue global editorial director Anna Wintour.
Beyoncé made her first appearance at the Met Gala in ten years, arriving alongside husband Jay-Z and her 14-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, one of the youngest guests in the event’s history. Her gown, by French designer Olivier Rousteing, featured an embellished skeleton design beneath a sweeping, feathered cape of monumental scale.
“It feels great to be here with my daughter and husband.” Beyoncé, speaking to reporters on the red carpet.
Nicole Kidman, in a deep red long-sleeved beaded column gown by Chanel, attended with her daughter Sunday Rose.
Venus Williams arrived in a black sparkling gown anchored by a spectacular silver jewel-encrusted neck piece, telling reporters she was “dancing inside.”
Anna Wintour, appearing at her first Met Gala since stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue, wore a custom avian-inspired Chanel creation: a turquoise-feathered cape over an embroidered dark green gown.
Rihanna closes the night
In keeping with near-official tradition, Rihanna arrived last, closing the carpet alongside partner A$AP Rocky. Her custom Maison Margiela by Glenn Martens gown was encrusted with thousands of hand-applied jewels and beads.
Rocky wore a baby pink coat with black satin lapels by custom Chanel.
Costume art in its most literal form
Supermodel Heidi Klum, celebrated for her elaborate Halloween transformations, brought that same commitment to the Met Gala, arriving in an outfit rendered to look as though it had been chiseled directly from a block of marble. The statue-esque look left many onlookers unable to immediately recognise her.
Singer and actress Janelle Monáe took the theme in a dramatically different direction, covering herself in technology. Her collar was constructed from cables, and circuit boards and computer components were woven throughout her top, a look that read simultaneously as costume, commentary, and couture.
Bad Bunny wore hyper-realistic ageing makeup that transformed the 32-year-old into a distinguished elderly gentleman.
Katy Perry’s identity was hidden entirely behind a mirrored mask that obscured her face.
Madonna arrived in a nautical-witch ensemble complete with a headpiece shaped like a full-sailed tall ship and an ethereal grey veil.
K-pop royalty: Blackpink reunites at the Met Gala
In a landmark moment for K-pop and global fashion, all four members of Blackpink, Lisa, Jennie, Rosé, and Jisoo, attended the 2026 Met Gala, marking the first time the group has appeared at the event in the same year. Each member walked the carpet separately, each in a distinct designer, and together they dominated global conversation through the night.
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Lisa, 29, served as a member of this year’s host committee and delivered what many are calling the single most avant-garde look of the evening. Her custom Robert Wun creation, titled The Veil, featured a sheer white crystal-encrusted gown adorned with 66,960 Swarovski crystals. The piece’s defining element was a pair of sculptural arms, created from 3D scans of Lisa’s own body and posed in traditional Thai dance positions that jutted from the gown to hold up a sheer white veil above her head.
“I am nervous, because my extra arms are really heavy.” Lisa, to Vogue ahead of the event
Jennie made her fourth Met Gala appearance in a shimmering silver-blue Chanel gown by Matthieu Blazy, constructed from 15,000 mirrored sequin leaves.
She told Vogue she felt like “a mosaic artwork come alive.”
Rosé wore a strapless black Saint Laurent gown with a dramatic thigh-high slit and a bold sequined bird-shaped brooch at the waist, a direct nod to the “Costume Art” theme.
Jisoo, making her Met Gala debut, wore a custom pink off-shoulder Dior gown with floral embellishments, designed by Jonathan Anderson.
She told reporters on the carpet that she was both excited and a little nervous, a sentiment that resonated with fans worldwide who had long awaited her first appearance at fashion’s biggest night.
South Asian fashion commands the carpet
Indian designer Manish Malhotra wore a regal bandhgala paired with an ornate embroidered cape, paying tribute to Mumbai, a piece requiring 50 artisans working 960 hours to complete.
Bollywood director Karan Johar, also dressed by Malhotra, wore a vintage jacket beneath a hand-painted cape featuring characters from Indian mythology.
“Fashion has always been a massive part of my movies.”, Karan Johar, to the BBC on the red carpet
Isha Ambani, daughter of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, also made a prominent appearance, representing the growing presence of South Asian figures at one of the world’s most globally watched fashion events.
Historic debut for disability representation
The night also made history in a quieter but deeply meaningful way. Model and activist Aariana Rose Philip became the first wheelchair user to attend the Met Gala, according to Vogue magazine.
“For so long, disabled people were not represented anywhere. To go from that to now, somehow finding myself there, I can’t say how blessed and honored I feel attending.”,Aariana Rose Philip, speaking to Vogue
Writer and disability activist Sinéad Burke also made her return to the Met Gala, in a black corseted gown with flowing sleeve embellishments.
Further highlights
Angela Bassett wore a pink Prabal Gurung gown inspired by the Harlem Renaissance painting Girl in a Pink Dress.
Emma Chamberlain arrived in a Mugler gown that resembled an abstract painting, shifting from deep blue at the base to yellow and teal above.
Naomi Osaka delivered a double-look reveal, removing a white coat to expose a deep maroon lace-up gown.
Sabrina Carpenter wore a dress fashioned from celluloid film strips.
Eileen Gu stole the night in the most scientific look on the carpet, a custom Iris van Herpen Airo gown embedded with 15,000 iridescent glass bubbles and a hidden microprocessor system that released two to five live bubbles per second as she walked, the result of 2,550 hours of work spanning couture, engineering, and computational design.
