Met Gala 2026 Launches 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.

The event featured a performance by Broadway star Joshua Henry, who opened the red carpet with "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," accompanied by a band and dancers on steps designed to resemble mossy bricks in a lush garden. The Gala marked the first appearance for some guests, including 14-year-old Blue Ivy, despite the event's typical age restriction of 18 or older.

Lauren Sánchez Bezos attended in a Schiaparelli gown invoking John Singer Sargent's "Madame X" painting, while Anna Wintour wore a feathery custom Chanel outfit. Jeff Bezos did not appear on the red carpet. The Guardian reported on the event's patronage by figures like Bezos, noting its role in funding the Costume Institute but also highlighting concerns over ties between fashion, celebrity, and tech billionaires, with some sources linking this to boycotts.

No direct statements from Bezos or the Costume Institute on the funding's impact were included in the available reports. GB News reported reaching out to Perry for comment on her outfit but receiving no response.

The exhibition "Costume Art" focuses on innovative presentations of fashion in art preservation, supported by the fundraiser's proceeds.