The first Monday of May is considered one of the most important days for the business of fashion, as artists and designers brace themselves to walk down the red carpet of the grand Met Gala event. This biggest night of fashion was initially a fundraising event established by Eleanor Lambert for high society to support the Costume Institute, which was later merged with the Met. Back in 1948, tickets cost only $50. Now though, a Met Gala ticket would cost $10,000 for its high-end hospitality, where Anna Wintour personally approves the guest list before the event. Ever since the Met has come under the direction of Wintour, the chief editor of Vogue, she has turned the event into a major global cultural platform for celebrities to showcase their love and passion for fashion. Each year, Wintour picks a new theme for the event, and the designers give their best to impress the world.
The 2026 Met Gala theme is costume art – paired as The Art of Fashion. This theme focuses on the beauty of turning art into a moving form, adding more drama, defining various body types, and enhancing sculptural features in clothing. As a fashion designer, this theme has to be my personal favourite, as it allows designers to look up to their favourite painters and turn their masterpieces into wearable art pieces.
Supermodel Anok Yai turned herself into a beautiful moving sculpture, embracing a black outfit from Balenciaga. Every detail of her make-up was intentionally crafted to complement her as a piece of art. The renowned American actress Sarah Paulson channelled her inner beauty in an enduring Matieres Fecales look, blindfolding her eyes with a one-dollar note, which has rather provoked a political statement and created an art form of its own kind. I simply cannot take my eyes off the French beauty Lena Mahfouf’s moulded silver hand-shaped bralette, featuring a gorgeous powder blue maxi skirt that turned her into a Greek goddess. This daring look was created by French-Turkish couturier Burc Akyol, who is known for his designs at Christian Dior and Balenciaga.
Beyoncé arrived at the Met Gala after a decade, wearing a diamond-encrusted, skeleton-shaped outfit designed by Olivier Rousteing. She is also co-hosting the event with tennis legend Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour. Heidi Klum has never failed to mesmerise us with her various looks at the Met Gala; this time, she was seen in a Mike Marino design. The designer has turned her into the timeless beauty of the Veiled Vestal, a sculpture by the famous Raffaelle Monti. I have never seen anything so outstanding; I love how he manipulated the latex fabric into a fine garment, creating an illusion of curved marble not only on the clothes but also on her face.
Growing up in the 90s, we have all been Bollywood fans due to Indian film director Karan Johar’s classic storytelling. This man nailed his debut Met Gala look, wearing a custom-made Manish Malhotra. Malhotra mentioned to Vogue that this outfit has been inspired by famous paintings of artist Raja Ravi Varma. He himself wore a long black-and-white cape that carried the names of the craftsmen who made it.
I am a huge fan of Gustav Klimt, and that is one of the many reasons I will give Gracie Abrams’s look a shout-out; it is simple, yet very romantic. Lastly, I will add the Bridgerton actress Simone Ashley among the best dressed, as she was seen in a silver chained body outfit by Stella McCartney.
Kim Kardashian has always been the talk of the town for fashion and has gone the extra mile to create some of the best looks in fashion history, but for the 2026 Met Gala, she looked rather ordinary in her orange bodice outfit. The same goes for her sisters; Kylie Jenner wore a custom-made Schiaparelli designed by Daniel Roseberry, and Kendall Jenner wore a similar-looking 3D outfit by Zac Posen.
This year, we also witnessed major Indian beauties — Isha Ambani and Ananya Birla — at the high-fashion event, showcasing Indian heritage. Both ladies were extraordinary, as Isha was seen in a custom Gaurav Gupta traditional saree, and Ananya was seen flaunting her inner diva in a bold, structured blazer by Subodh Gupta. I personally adored the mango Isha carried in her translucent bag, and the metallic mask on Ananya Birla.
Some A-list celebrities do not seem to care about the theme of the 2026 Met Gala; such as Nicole Kidman, whose oxblood red outfit looked very basic, along with Doja Cat, Blake Lively, and Gigi Hadid, who totally failed to meet the concept of the party. The forever diva Madonna was seen in a custom-made Saint Laurent, but that too failed to create any magic on the red carpet. Lastly, Marc Jacobs dressed Cardi B for the event, but the outfit was questionable and strange.
In conclusion, this year’s Met Gala was also considered very controversial, as it was sponsored by Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Bezos. Many called for a boycott of the event, but nothing could stop such a fashionably remarkable night, especially as long as it is hosted by leading lady Anna Wintour. That’s all.
