The 2026 Met Gala is going to be different.
It will still take place on the first Monday in May. The guest list is still a tightly guarded secret. Unexpected fashion is still the name of the game, but museum updates and a massive theme mean this year’s gala will not only introduce an exhibition, but it will also welcome a new era for the Costume Institute.
This year’s theme seems to focus on permanence. Taking the phrase “Costume Art” from the first exhibition in the Costume Institute’s new permanent galleries, the 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a lot of the rollout for the gala has been set in stone. Literally.
Think messages etched in marble and statues of the human body, the one permanent thing in all of fashion history, or as the Costume Institute is referring to it for this exhibition, the “clothed body.” While The Met Gala often tackles large periods of history, ranging from a lifetime or an era to centuries of fashion evolution. Now, with their new space, they are able to take on even more. “Costume Art” will feature 5,000 years of paintings, sculptures, and other objects alongside historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute’s collection.
So what about The Met Gala?
The 2026 Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 4, 2026. The co-chairs are eyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. They are joined by co-chairs of the Gala Host Committee, Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz, and committee members Adut Akech, Angela Bassett, Sinéad Burke, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Gwendoline Christie, Alex Consani, Misty Copeland, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Paloma Elsesser, Rebecca Hall, LISA, Chloe Malle, Aimee Mullins, Tschabalala Self, Amy Sherald, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor, Lauren Wasser, Anna Weyant, A’ja Wilson, Chase Sui Wonders, and Yseult. Lead sponsors for the gala and exhibition, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, will serve as honorary chairs.
But we’re all here for the theme! It’s what we will be building Pinterest boards and judging looks for as they walk down the carpet.
This year, attendees will work to embody the theme “Fashion is Art,” a wide theme that leaves a lot to interpretation. It is a challenging theme because it is vague, but vague themes are where many Met Gala veterans shine.
Savvy attendees will likely honor the theme by selecting a time period and honoring its silhouettes, history, and colors. Many looks will also likely feature the human body in nudes or form-fit silhouettes. It wouldn’t be unexpected to see designs that honor well-known and forgotten designers across history. More than anything, we’re expecting designs that take inspiration from the busts and sculptures in the exhibit that draw attention to all of part of the body. These will, of course, be matched with surprising and twisted takes from more experimental designers.
