Celebs Celebrate "Costume Art" At The 2026 Met Gala

The Met Gala’s mint green carpet is brimming with star power, as style savants arrive in sculptural, statement-making looks worthy of a museum wall.

Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the 2026 gala is centered on the theme “Costume Art,” with an accompanying dress code of “Fashion is Art,” encouraging attendees to treat the body as a living exhibition.

As previously reported, this year’s co-chairs reflect the gala’s blend of film, music, athletics, and technology with Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Anna Wintour, and Jeff and Lauren Bezos leading the evening’s festivities.

Speaking of Venus Williams, the tennis superstar stomped the carpet in a light-reflecting Swavoroski crystal gown paired with a pearl-adorned neck plate.

While on the carpet, she told HelloBeautiful’s Shamika Sanders that her ensemble was inspired by her painting that was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. She also noted that the neck plate had intricate details like the Watts Towers, paying homage to her hometown of Watts, California.

It wouldn’t be a Met Gala without a Rihanna sighting.

Rihanna kept the tradition going of being the very last celebrity on the carpet, this time donning a Maison Margiela creation designed by Glenn Martens, styled by Jahleel Weaver.

Vogue reports that the gown was hand-sculpted from duchess woven silk, incorporated recycled metal threads typically used in computer wiring, and the corseted bodice was adorned with more than 115,000 crystal beads, antique jewels, and chains.

Close behind her, A$AP Rocky delivered a complementary statement in a custom Chanel by Matthieu Blazy robe with black satin lapels and piping.

Arguably, the head-turner of the night so far, Janelle Monae, made waves in post-apocalyptic glam via Christian Siriano.

Styled by Alexandra Mandelkorn, the look was a floor-length gown made from real electrical cables and wiring, mixed with moss, succulents, and pieces of circuit boards, with butterfly details throughout.

The butterflies even moved, as seen in videos shared from the Met.

An annual style standout, Kim Kardashian donned a sculpted bronze cone bra corset offset by matching blonde hair.

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Cardi came out to play in an avant-garde floral fantasy dress.

The baaawdy accentuating gown featured sheer black lace with peekaboo pops of color and massive sleeves, and was via Marc Jacobs.

Also seen on the scene was La La who’s hosting Vogue’s Met Gala live stream…

Anderson Paak who told HelloBeautiful he’s wearing Amiri, Cartier frames, and an AP watch…

and a YSL-wearing Doja Cat who wanted her latex ensemble to look like monochromatic skin.

She also sizzled and slayed while posing for HelloBeautiful.

Gorgeous!

SZA sizzled in a dress by Emily Bode made from vintage material sourced from eBay…

and queen Angela Bassett paid homage to Laura Wheeler Waring, an artist from the Harlem Renaissance who painted “Girl In Pink Dress.”

Also spotted was Kylie Jenner, who donned a Schiaparelli gown that was created with 11,000 hours of embroidery.

Doechii dominated at the Met Gala while wearing Marc Jacobs dress barefoot with her feet adorned in henna. She told Vogue that she wanted her look to be “very human and vulnerable and grounding.”

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Metallic was the theme of the night for several stars.

Serena Williams looked like a goddess in silver…

while A’ja Wilson looked gilded in gold.

Speaking of exuding goddess energy, Coco Jones wowed in a sculptural curve-caressing gown.

You know ‘yo girrrrrl Keke Palmer had to come through at the Met Gala.

The stunning star donned crimson from her tresses to her toes.

Also seen on the scene was tennis champ Naomi Osaka, who did a big reveal, removing her white overcoat accented with vivid feathers to reveal a second look: a blood red, embellished dress.

Collaborating with Robert Wun, Osaka described the concept as a meditation on transformation.

“This is the shedding of the skin and the human anatomy,” she told Variety, adding that the final look felt both “inspirational and different.”