Every year, I tell myself I’m going to watch the Met Gala casually. And every year, I end up glued to my screen, refreshing for every new look like it’s my full-time job.
Because the Met Gala isn’t just another red carpet. It’s fashion at its most theatrical, most intentional, and sometimes… most confusing. It’s where celebrities either completely understand the assignment, or absolutely do not.
Met Gala 2026: Costume Art
I’m not sure how I feel about this year’s Met Gala. Because while a handful of celebrities really understood the assignment, overall, I found it a little underwhelming.
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This year’s theme, “Costume Art,” centers around the idea of fashion as a true art form, or more specifically, how clothing interacts with and transforms the human body.
Inspired by the latest exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, the concept explores what Vogue describes as the “centrality of the dressed body.” It pairs historical and contemporary garments with artworks spanning more than 5,000 years.
In other words, this wasn’t just about what people wore. It was about how fashion shapes identity, silhouette and even the way the body itself is perceived.
Fashion Is Art
With a dress code of “Fashion Is Art,” the expectation is less about playing it safe and more about treating the body as a canvas, whether through sculptural silhouettes, exaggerated proportions, or designs that blur the line between clothing and art. Or of course there’s the celebs that wore literal art on their bodies, something you’d see on a Moschino or Balmain runway.
I expected more color. More architecture. More “this is art.” Some got it. Most didn’t. There was a lot of drab color and a lot of missed opportunities. The carpet leaned neutral (lots of ivory, black and metallics.) There were way more beautiful gowns and literal interpretations of art than true concepts. For a theme like this, that does feel like a miss.
A few came close. Ciara with her sculptural structure, Gwendoline Christie leaning into full costume, Doechii with a more conceptual approach. But overall, there weren’t many looks that truly transformed the body in a way that felt like art.
Even Kim Kardashian, the queen of molded, artificial form, missed the mark in burnt orange.
Let’s check out the looks of the night and see who went Andy Warhol (not many) and who attempted Iris van Herpen. (Sadly, I did not see one person even attempt her this evening.)
Is This Art? Met Gala 2026 Unforgettable Looks
Gwendoline Christie’s Giles Deacon dress pays homage to a trio of artists that Christie told Vogue she “holds close to her heart.” The dress pulled from John Singer Sargent’s elegance in the silhouette, Madame Yevonde’s surreal, stylized portraits and Ira Cohen’s more distorted, almost hallucinogenic imagery. But the most striking detail of the ensemble was the mask of her own face created by British YBA artist Gillian Wearing.
Cardi B’s custom Marc Jacobs look was based on a silhouette from the designer’s fall 2025 collection, where Hans Bellmer’s disjointed Surrealist dolls inspired the padded proportions.
If her Halloween costumes are anything to go by, does anyone do literal sculpture better than Heidi Klum?
Celebs Wearing Robert Wun
You don’t hear Robert Wun’s name as much as, say, Marc Jacobs or Michael Kors, but he’s certainly shown his share of art on the runway and here at the Met Gala.
Celebrity Works of Art
If Nicole Kidman isn’t a work of art in everything she wears, I don’t know who is.
No one epitomized the night’s theme better than Emma Chamberlain in her hand-painted Mugler gown by designer Miguel Castro Freitas.
I know athlete Paige Bueckers is not as famous as, say, Beyonce, but I thought her look was one of the few that actually screamed fashion is art to me.
The Sculptures
I guess here’s where the night gets all sculptural. Sadly I was really underwhelmed by Rihanna and Beyonce’s gowns this evening. I guess it was because of the drab colors. And they were not as sculptural as I would have expected from them.
Valentino, Saint Laurent and Thom Browne
Besides Robert Wun, Valentino, Saint Laurent and Thom Browne had a moment. Saint Laurent was very gloomy and goth. Blue isn’t a color I typically expect from the more feminine Valentino, so that felt like a breath of fresh air. I’m not sure how obvious the theme was, though maybe that was the point.]
Odessa said she did her own makeup and hair for the evening…
Other Standouts of the Night
Bigger than that crazy tulle gown was Sarah Paulson’s $1 blindfold, which apparently had holes poked in it so she could still see. Ironically, not many people loved the idea. In fact, some criticized Sarah Paulson’s take on American wealth, arguing that as a well-known actress, she herself is part of that 1 percent. Also, what did it have to do with art?
Janelle Monae, on the other hand, used nature and tech (and a stunning gown by Christian Siriano) to convey her ideas on art.
A standout piece, for sure. Did it scream art? Not so sure.
What did you think of the red carpet at the Met Gala 2026?
—Simona Shemer
Photos: People.com, EOnline, WWD, Vogue
You may like to read more of Simona’s celebrity style posts like Oscars 2026 Red Carpet Fashion: Best Looks, Unique Gowns and Style Misses and Golden Globes 2026 Red Carpet Fashion: Top Trends That Ruled the Night.
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