Met Gala 2026 Opens Costume Institute Exhibition and Fundraiser

The 2026 Met Gala occurred on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, serving as the annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute and the launch of its "Costume Art" exhibition. The event drew approximately 450 guests, with tickets priced at around $100,000 each.

The theme explored fashion as an embodied art form, drawing from depictions of the dressed body in art history. Co-chairs included Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as honorary chairs.

Attendees included Beyoncé, who arrived with her husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy in a gown featuring an embellished skeleton design and feathered cape by Olivier Rousteing, marking her return after a 10-year absence. Nicole Kidman wore a red beaded Chanel gown and was accompanied by her daughter Sunday Rose Kidman Urban.

Venus Williams appeared in a black sparkling gown with silver jewel-encrusted neck adornment, and her sister Serena Williams chose a silver Marc Jacobs dress. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrived late, with Rihanna in a jewel-encrusted Maison Margiela gown and A$AP Rocky in custom Chanel.

Katy Perry wore a white Stella McCartney gown with a chrome fencing-inspired mask by Miodrag Guberinic, which she removed on the red carpet. According to a press release cited in GB News, the mask served as a literal and symbolic reflection inviting observers to consider perceptions mirroring their internal world, and included accessories such as a six-fingered glove and tarot-style cards.

Other notable outfits included Heidi Klum in a statue-like ensemble, Bad Bunny with makeup resembling an elderly man, Angela Bassett in a pink Prabal Gurung gown inspired by a Harlem Renaissance painting, Emma Chamberlain in a multi-colored Mugler gown resembling a painting, and Colman Domingo in a colorful Valentino suit.

Sam Smith attended in attire fitting the theme, as reported by the Daily Caller.