What did celebrities wear to create impact for a fraught fashion event?
The Met Gala returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, delivering a parade of famous faces and ostentatious ensembles.
This year, the dress code for the red carpet: ‘Fashion Is Art’. It drew from the
Hosts, editors, tech moguls and celebrities arrived on a red carpet – designed to resemble green moss encroaching cream paving stones – and demonstrated the lack of specificity provided by the dress code.
There were corsets, replica body parts, breastplates, sheer and nude illusion designs that revealed and manipulated the body (Yseult’s was quite sublime).
Some attendees paid reference to specific artists, including Hunter Schafer (Gustav Klimt), Troye Sivan (Robert Mapplethorpe), Angela Basset (Laura Wheeler Waring), Colman Domingo (Jean-Michel Basquiat) and Amy Sherald (who dressed as her own work).
Audrey Nuna and Emma Chamberlain, engaged with painterly tools and techniques, while others relied on vaguely artful design in attempts to meet the theme.
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour walked the carpet as co-chairs. And despite the star power, there were two other guests – honorary chairs Jeff Bezos, who snuck in through the back alongside Mark Zuckerberg, and Lauren Sanchez, who walked the carpet alongside other tech titans – who conjured considerable attention before and during the event.
The tech billionaire couple were key benefactors for the 2026 event, which inspired a guerrilla activist group to poster New York pre-Gala with calls for a boycott.
Protesters also gathered outside the event. Variety reported one almost made it onto the carpet, while another was snapped holding a sign that read “Your red carpet is stained with blood”. Various Bezos-company unions also gathered in downtown Manhattan to host the Ball Without Billionaires in opposition to the gala. On the carpet, Cher told reporters “I’m not a fan,” when asked about the billionaires’ involvement.
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Advertise with NZME.Ahead of the event, fashion writer Amy Odell also characterised the “once-cool” event, as a “big-box clout store for the richest people on the planet”.
In a year where the event is particularly fraught, but was also expected to attract millions of eyeballs, dress had the potential to be a powerful tool for celebrities in attendance. Here’s how they met the moment.
Beyoncé
Beyoncé took the Met Gala carpet for the first time in ten years with her daughter Blue Ivy and husband Jay-Z. Her gown is Olivier Rousteing and was encrusted with jewels to resemble a skeleton.
Rosé
New Zealand-born South Korean singer-songwriter Rosé dons Saint Laurent. It is one of many nice black dresses (unusual for an event like the Met Gala).
Sarah Paulson
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Advertise with NZME.Sarah Paulson dons a spiky Matières Fécales gown. It comes from the designer’s collection titled ‘The One Percent’. She accessorises with a $1 bill as eye wear.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky
The couple arrived fashionably late, shutting down the carpet. She wears Maison Margiela, while he wears Chanel.
Chase Infiniti
This glittering dress is Thom Browne. Similar dresses depicting nude bodies have been seen on the carpet all night.
Anne Hathaway
This Michael Kors gown depicts the Goddess Of Peace.
Alex Consani
The model came draped in a white gown and stopped on the carpet to reveal a second look (both by Gucci). The skirt is covered in black feathers and builds to a sheer corset.
Janelle Monáe
The musician wears custom Christian Siriano and Rainbow K jewellery – the ensemble depicts moss colonised by wires and motherboards.
Kim Kardashian
It’s a body conscious ensemble for Kim Kardashian, made by Allen Jones.
Angela Bassett
This gown is inspired by Girl In The Pink Dress – Bassett pointed to lines in the bodice and said she was looking to celebrate the ageing body.
Naomi Osaka
The tennis star wears Robert Wun Couture, complete with bouncing branches of ruby leaves. She also revealed a twinkling ruby gown on the carpet, for her second look.
Sam Smith
A plume of feathers rises from Sam Smith’s head, echoing the high drama of their Christian Cowan ensemble. It’s inspired by the figures depicted in works by Erté.
Kendall Jenner
Zac Posen remodelled white T-shirts to create Kendall Jenner’s dress, inspired by the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Her sister, Kylie, opted for a similar nude bustier.
Ben Platt
This custom Tanner Fletcher suit worn by Ben Platt breaks up a parade of black menswear.
Doja Cat
The musician dons a luminous silicon dress with artful draping. It’s custom Saint Laurent.
Lena Dunham
The Famesick author wears plumes of feathers and sequins by Valentino. She says it is inspired by childhood visits to the museum (and the blood-spattered paintings she loved).
Lauren Wasser
This all-gold ensemble from model Lauren Wasser is Prabal Gurung.
Venus Williams
Co-chair Venus Williams frames her face with a ornate necklace (it draws on symbols from West African culture and includes a tower from California). She wears custom Swarovski.
Nicole Kidman
Another co-chair, another sparkly dress. Nicole Kidman completes her Chanel gown with feathered cuffs.
Anna Wintour
Vogue‘s editorial director has arrived. She is covered in feathers.
Nichapat Suphap
The contributing editor to Vogue Thailand wears Robert Wun. It’s one of several looks depicting hands on the body.
Emma Chamberlain
Host Emma Chamberlain wears a custom Mugler gown – she explained to Vogue that she took inspiration from her father, an oil painter, and the texture of watercolours.
Cara Delevingne
Ralph Lauren has encrusted the sheer back of Delevingne’s gown with jewels.
Naomi Elizee
The Vogue editor embraces drapery, sheer and spotlights patches of textile.
Ashley Graham
The model has chosen a sheer, ‘wet’ dress with tones that mimic her skin by Di Petsa. Laura Harrier wore a similar look later in the evening.
