Met Gala 2026 Dress Code Revealed to be 'Fashion is Art'

The highly anticipated 2026 Met Gala has revealed its official dress code: “Fashion is Art,” setting the stage for one of fashion’s most visually inventive evenings.

The gala, scheduled for May 4, 2026 at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, will celebrate the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, Costume Art, and challenge guests to rethink how clothing and artistry intersect on the red carpet.

This year’s dress code directly reflects the ethos of the Costume Institute’s Costume Art exhibition, which explores the “centrality of the dressed body” through depictions and interpretations of human form in fashion and fine art over thousands of years. The show, comprised of nearly 400 objects, pairs garments from the Costume Institute’s collection with paintings, sculptures and other artworks spanning some 5,000 years of art history in the museum’s new Condé M. Nast Galleries.

According to Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Costume Institute, the idea behind both the exhibition and the dress code is that fashion and art are not distinct. “What connects every curatorial department and… every gallery in the museum is fashion, or the dressed body,” Bolton said, emphasizing the theme’s intent to invite guests to see their attire as artistic expression.

Rather than prescribing a literal or restrictive costume look, the “Fashion is Art” dress code gives celebrities and attendees a broad but conceptually rich canvas. Designers and guests are encouraged to create ensembles that embody fashion as artistic practice, whether through sculptural silhouettes, body-inspired motifs, historical references, or bold conceptual interpretations that treat clothing as a wearable artwork.

This theme resonates with Costume Art’s exploration of diverse body representations, from classical and nude forms to underrepresented figures such as pregnant or aging bodies, and underscores fashion’s enduring influence as both historical artefact and contemporary creative force.

The Met Gala’s co-chairs for 2026 include music icon Beyoncé, Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman, tennis great Venus Williams and fashion titan Anna Wintour, marking a dynamic blend of cultural influence and creative vision steering the event.

Behind the scenes, a host committee featuring fashion and entertainment figures such as Doja Cat, Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Smith and Lena Dunham, among others, is set to ensure the event’s broad cultural resonance. Lead sponsors Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos also serve as honorary chairs, lending significant visibility and support to the gala and its associated exhibition.

With its “Fashion is Art” dress code, the 2026 Met Gala anticipates a red carpet filled with looks that are interpretive, boundary-pushing and deeply inspired by artistic concepts. From sculptural shapes to historical allusions and avant-garde ideas, this year’s gala promises to be a lush showcase of fashion as a true art form, leaving both critics and fans eager to see what attendees will produce on fashion’s biggest night.