Everything We Know About the 2026 Met Gala So Far
Including the theme, the exhibition and the (controversial) sponsors.
One of the most globally captivating events on the fashion calendar, the Met Gala draws celebrity, culture, art and fashion together in a splashy night of couture. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York becomes the epicentre, with its Costume Institute presenting a new exhibition each year. The theme for 2026 has been confirmed as “Costume Art.”
The 2025 Met Gala paid homage to Dandy style and Black identity, titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”, while next year promises something a bit more… crafty. The exhibition will showcase 200 artworks alongside 200 garments and accessories, pairing them up to join the worlds of art and fashion once and for all. Curator Andrew Bolton has taken inspiration from the museum’s archives and teases an investigation of the clothed body through history. During the press conference, Bolton shared that fashion has “the status of art because of, and not in spite of, its relation to the body.”
While art will frame the narrative, fashion remains the focal point. The mannequins are crafted with mirrored faces by artist Samar Hejazi, designed for the viewer to feel empathy between themselves and the object. The show will be divided into three sections: bodies omnipresent in art, bodies often overlooked (such as aging or pregnant bodies) and universal bodies.
While the guest list and celebrity co-chairs are yet to be released, we know Anna Wintour is at the helm, as usual, and will be joined by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos, who are sponsoring the event alongside Saint Laurent. Following the tradition of being held on the first Monday in May, the event will take place on May 4, 2026. The exhibition itself opens to the public on May 10 and will run through January 10, 2027.
For now, expect red-carpet drama, ambiguous interpretations and headline-grabbing fashion.
In other news, check out Lily Allen’s runway debut in London.
