The Best-Dressed Celebs At The 2026 Met Gala

The Met Gala is one of the most highly anticipated fashion events of the year, and 2026 was no different. While it's always been an opportunity for designers and fashion houses to flex their creative muscles, this years' theme of "Costume Art" has definitely given them a run for their money. The dress code was "Fashion is Art", and the possibility for interpretation was infinite.

The benefit also celebrates the Costume Institute's first permanent exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with curator Andrew Bolton connecting fashion to historic art pieces in order to "examine the centrality of the dressed body," according to the original press release from The Met. The idea of "the body as a canvas" was presented as a celebration of body-diversity at the MET. Sections such as the disabled body, the pregnant body, the plus-sized body, and the aging body all received their own respective curations within the exhibitions.

While the event itself may be challenging the norms of the gala itself, that isn't to say that the night wasn't filled with cringe or controversy. Even before this year's event kicked off, there were protests over the fact that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez-Bezos paid to become sponsors and honorary co-chairs. Sánchez-Bezos seemed to address the embarrassment at the gala with a Schiaparelli dress that referenced the scandal of John Singer Sargent's 1883 painting, "Madame X." Less controversial but no less awkward were some of this year's worst-dressed attendees, but fortunately, there were also quite a few celebrities who totally stunned at the 2026 Met Gala.

Gwendoline Christie may have stepped away from her typical role as one of the red carpet hosts of the event, but her insider knowledge definitely came in handy when choosing this look. Wearing a piece by her longtime partner, Giles Deacon, the "Game of Thrones" actor took the opportunity to pay homage to multiple artists. John Singer Sargent reflected through the silhouette of the dress, and the mask itself was inspired and replicated for the event by Gillian Wearing, whose photograph "Between Mask and Mirror" was directly referenced in Christie's look.

The 2026 Met Gala was far from Sabrina Carpenter's worst-dressed moments; in fact, it was kind of brilliant. Not only did the headpiece and silhouette of the dress scream classic Hollywood, but the film strip that was molded into the dress by Jonathan Anderson at Dior was the Audrey Hepburn film "Sabrina". Carpenter's outfit brought together multi-disciplinary forms of art, really embodying how costuming can come to represent many ideals in the form of a singular dress. The level of craftsmanship involved in manipulating such an unconventional textile is also a testament to fashion artisans everywhere.

If you thought Emma Chamberlain's ensemble for the 2026 Met Gala looked as though she just hopped out of a frame, you wouldn't be entirely wrong. Her custom Mugler piece, designed by Miguel Castro Freitas, was inspired by the archive of the fashion house, but Chamberlain gave the look her own personal twist. Bringing together references from Van Gogh and Munch, her father's passion for watercolors and oil painting was ultimately what gave the dress such a vividly textured (and personal) look. Chamberlain also shared that the eerie and gaunt undertones to the look were also intentional, as they reflected her personal taste in art.

While there was a surprising lack of true archival couture on the red carpet, stars like Sabrina Harrison paid homage to the artistry of haute couture with their 2026 'fits. Wearing Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring 2010 Couture collection, the fashion collector flexed her fashion muscle by pulling from one of the most visionary designers in the industry. The piece itself is also a beautiful deconstruction (and almost cross-section) of even older dresses, with the hip pads on full display in woven lilacs and creams. With a golden, anatomically correct heart and spiked lilac heels, every piece Harrison wore stretched the boundaries of design.

While "Russian Doll" actor Ephraim Sykes didn't go wild with the palette, his 2026 Met outfit paid homage to one of the most frequent subjects in classical art –  angels. The all-white slacks and square-toed shoes provided a consistent base for a heavenly blazer. White lace fabric was seemingly draped off of his shoulders, giving the visual illusion of folded angel wings without committing to a fully feathered accessory. More than anything, it acted as a testament to how thin the line is between costuming and fashion.

Tennis star Naomi Osaka's outfit had one of the best stories of the 2026 Met Gala. Osaka's clothing has always made a statement, and this custom piece by Robert Wun was no different. While it paid homage to her Japanese heritage, it also included a bit of performance art of its own, opening up to reveal a Swarovski-encrusted red gown that emulated "human anatomy."

How Naomi Osaka appeared on the red carpet at the Met Gala, paying homage to her Japanese roots with her astonishing Swarovski Crystalized Gown That Took 3,280 Hours to Make. pic.twitter.com/IU2yD2zP5g

— 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐲𝐆𝐑𝐍 (@AsakyGRN) May 4, 2026

The dress reportedly took 3,280 hours to make, involving numerous artisans. It goes to show how fashion is both a product of labor and an inherently communal art form.

It would make sense that, as a snowboarder and skier, Olympian Eileen Gu would know how to put on a good performance. Her 2026 Met Gala look was a true work of art, looking like an elegant little dress featuring clear shoes — all covered in bubbles. The piece by Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, a favorite of Gu's, would not be complete without her knack for uniting art and technology, allowing Gu's dress to generate their own real bubbles and take over the red carpet. The bubbles on the dress were also made out of 15,000 glass pieces, requiring the poise and precision of a pro athlete to pull-off.