The 2026 Met Gala is set to take place on May 4, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art has officially revealed this year’s dress code theme: “Fashion Is Art.”
The announcement offers broad creative freedom while directly aligning with the Costume Institute’s upcoming exhibition.
Andrew Bolton on the 2026 Met Gala Theme
Image: The New York Times/Website
According to Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton, the theme aims to settle the long-standing debate over whether fashion qualifies as art.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Bolton said the concept could help put an end to the “Is Fashion Art?” discussion, positioning fashion firmly within the artistic canon.
As always, the Met Gala dress code ties closely to the Costume Institute’s annual exhibition, which serves as the event’s central inspiration.
‘Costume Art’ Exhibition to Anchor the Gala
This year’s exhibition, titled “Costume Art,” will explore fashion as a continuous thread throughout art history.
The exhibition is set to be the largest the institute has ever staged in terms of objects, featuring nearly 400 pieces — including 200 garments paired with 200 artworks from across the museum’s collection.
Bolton described the exhibition as ambitious in scale, noting its extensive scope across artistic disciplines.
Met Gala 2026 Co-Chairs and Host Committee
The 2026 Met Gala co-chairs include:
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Beyoncé
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Nicole Kidman
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Venus Williams
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Anna Wintour
The host committee is chaired by Zoë Kravitz and includes:
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Anthony Vaccarello
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Sabrina Carpenter
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Teyana Taylor
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Lena Dunham
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Misty Copeland
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Angela Bassett
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Aimee Mullins
While co-chairs and committee members help promote the event, the full guest list remains closely guarded. The Met Gala continues to be one of the most exclusive fashion-meets-celebrity events in the world.
The Biggest Night in Fashion
Often described as fashion’s equivalent of a championship event, the Met Gala blends couture, celebrity and cultural commentary. Designers typically use the red carpet to showcase bold interpretations of the annual theme, pushing creative boundaries well beyond traditional black-tie conventions.
With “Fashion Is Art” as the guiding concept, the 2026 Met Gala is expected to deliver highly interpretive, museum-worthy looks when the red carpet rolls out on May 4 in New York City.
As ever, the gala will serve as a fundraiser for the Costume Institute — with spectacle and scholarship sharing equal billing.
Cover Image: @beyoncé, @nicolekidman, @venuswilliams, @wintourworld/Instagram
