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Met Gala 2026 Dress Code Revealed
When everyone else is busily decking their halls, in-demand stylist Law Roach begins thinking about how he'll deck out longtime client Zendaya for fashion's biggest night.
Because when it comes to determining her 2026 Met Gala look, "It usually starts 5 months in advance," the fashion pro shared on an April 30 Reddit "Ask Me Anything" forum ahead of the May 4 event. "It all starts with what the designer says the client is going with. Once that's figured out, we just have a conversation about inspiration, and then I take it back to my team."
That's also around the time that Anna Wintour and her team putting together the annual benefit for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute announces the theme of that year's exhibition.
And with 2026's "Costume Art" display pairing historical and modern garments from the Met's curatorial departments with art objects spanning across 5,000 years, well, expect to see some real masterpieces ascending the museum's famed steps.
The emphasis of the showcase—which also marks the inauguration of the nearly 12,000-square foot Condé M. Nast Galleries wing—is the dressed body, curator Andrew Bolton noted in Vogue’s November announcement.
"What connects every curatorial department and what connects every single gallery in the museum is fashion," he explained. "It's the common thread throughout the whole museum, which is really what the initial idea for the exhibition was, this epiphany: The dressed body is front and center in every gallery you come across. Even the nude is never naked. It’s always inscribed with cultural values and ideas."
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Though, of course, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nicole Kidman, Kim Kardashian, Sabrina Carpenter and the other stylistically minded stars perusing the exhibit will very much be covered in couture.
To complement the styles on display, Met Gala organizers landed on a "Fashion Is Art" dress code for the event.
The directive, per the planning team, invites attendees "to express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form and celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout art history."
So, basically, it's wide open to interpretation—much like the most stunning works of art and style.
Options abound from sculptural gowns that mimic the museum's statues to sheer, mesh or other naked styles that evoke the nude body theme to draped pieces that might bring to mind Greek or Roman monuments.
And Roach anticipates at least one invitee recreating a literal masterpiece.
"Maybe we'll see someone dressed as the Mona Lisa," he predicted to E! News in March, "which I’m sure somebody will do that."
Before we take in all the works of art on display May 4, we're looking back at some of our favorite showpieces from years past.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Rihanna
The Fenty Beauty founder's larger-than-life gown by Guo Pei is fit for royalty. It's only a matter of time before this jaw-dropping ensemble is in history books.
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Beyonce
There's no denying it: Bey shuts down every red carpet and this time around is no different. Wearing a Givenchy Haute Couture gown, she turns heads at the 2015 Met Ball.
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Priyanka Chopra
Carmen Sandiego, err, Priyanka, wears a Ralph Lauren trench dress that's classic but with a twist.
Dia Dipasupil/WireImage
Solange
The singer's 2018 ensemble is legendary for so many reasons. Playing up the "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" theme, Solange carries Florida water in her crystal-netted handbag. Moreover, her Iris van Herpen black latex dress is hand-picked by a Twitter poll. One word: iconic.
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Liu Wen
Deconstruction is one element to the 2017 theme: "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between." And the model's Off-White gown definitely showcases that design aspect, while also paying tribute to the designer.
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Blake Lively
It's almost a sin how good the Gossip Girl star looks in this over-the-top custom Versace gown and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry pieces.
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Zendaya
Volume is the name of the game at the 2017 Met Gala, and The Greatest Showman star brings the drama with her brightly colored Dolce & Gabbana parrot print gown.
Dimitrios Kambouris/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Gigi Hadid
The supermodel dazzles the red carpet with her stained-glass, optical illusion dress. The design is by none other than Versace.
John Shearer/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter
Cardi B
Giving us her Sunday's best, the "I Like It" rapper puts the Catholic theme front and center with this lavish Moschino design and larger-than-life headpiece.
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Ashley Graham
The body positive icon brings the heat to the 2017 Met Gala with her custom-made H&M gown.
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Jennifer Lopez
The singer wows with this red-hot ensemble by Versace. From the beaded dragon design to the see-through material, this is one fiery look!
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Karolina Kurkova
The former Victoria's Secret model makes a statement (quite literally) with this cheeky Viktor & Rolf design at the 2005 Met Ball.
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Naomi Campbell
Honoring the late Alexander McQueen, the supermodel stuns in a head-to-toe design from the fashion icon. Her gown is embellished with white tassels, intricate embroidery and feathery details.
Dia Dipasupil/WireImage
Katy Perry
The "Firework" singer knows how to follow through with a theme! She exudes glamor and grace as she attends the 2018 Met Ball in a shimmery gold gown with massive angel wings.
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Lily Collins
Following the theme, "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between," Lily plays up the exaggerated proportions the designer is known for. Her Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown is spot-on.
Karwai Tang/WireImage
Rihanna
Hands down, the best look of the 2017 event. She's not the Met Ball queen for nothin'!
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
Cecilia Dean
Honoring the house of Chanel at the 2005 Met Gala, the fashion model and co-founder of Visionaire graces the red carpet with a Marie Antoinette-like gown. The gold detailing, silk pink ribbon and flashy ruffles give it extra oomph.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Sarah Jessica Parker
Yes, Carrie Bradshaw...umm, Sarah Jessica Parker! The Met Gala vet sizzles the red carpet with her H&M design and her jaw-dropping Philip Treacy headdress. This look totally exudes the theme, "China: Through the Looking Glass."
Jamie McCarthy/FilmMagic
Kim Kardashian
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star looks like a vision in white in her one-of-a-kind Roberto Cavalli gown. From the dramatic feather train to the intricate beaded details and sheer bodice, this is a lewk!
Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Rihanna
Looking like a literal Pope in her jewel-encrusted Maison Margiela ensemble (complete with a papal tiara), RiRi truly embodies the theme, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Kylie Jenner
The Kylie Cosmetics beauty mogul dazzles in this see-through, nude-colored Versace gown. If you look closely, you'll see it's adorned with jewels galore.
David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock
Lana Del Rey & Jared Leto
The "Lust for Life" songstress and actor dress for the occasion with their religious-inspired Gucci designs—Leto channels Jesus while Lana emulates the Lady of Sorrows—and that's the gospel of truth!
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
Anne Hathaway
Fit for a princess, this crystal-encrusted Valentino ball gown is straight out of a fairy tale, and while this theme was extraordinarily hard ("American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity"), the Ocean's 8 star knocks it out of the park.
Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic
Janelle Monae
The singer-songwriter looks like an "electric lady" at the 2018 Met Gala with her black and white color-blocking gown and valero jacket by Marc Jacobs.
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Eva Longoria
Longoria radiates the red carpet with her over-the-top ruffled Marchesa gown. The royal purple hue adds even more drama to the already magnificent design.
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Karolina Kurkova
The supermodel brings the glitz and the glamour to the 2012 event with her a custom long-sleeved gold sequin gown, matching turban and clutch by Rachel Zoe.
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