2026 Met Gala Dress Code Announced: Fashion Is Art

The Met Gala has confirmed its theme for 2026: “Fashion Is Art.” The announcement was made by Vogue on February 23 for the 2026 event.

The dress code accompanies the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, “Costume Art,” which explores the connections between clothing and visual art.

The gala will take place on Monday, May 4, 2026, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It will be co‑chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour.

Met Gala 2026 theme: Fashion isArt

The theme encourages guests to interpret clothing as a form of artistic expression. Rather than specifying a particular style or color palette, the dress code invites guests to show cultural and historical influences. Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Costume Institute, notes that fashion and the human form have long been central to visual culture, which the exhibition seeks to illustrate.

The “Costume Art” exhibition opens to the public on May 10, 2026, in the Costume Institute’s new Condé M. Nast Galleries. It will feature nearly 400 garments displayed alongside artworks from different periods, show the connection between clothing and visual art over time. The show highlights a variety of body types and forms, examining how fashion interacts with art from classical to contemporary contexts.

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Elle Fanning at the 2024 Met Gala

Under this year’s theme, the Met Gala red carpet is expected to display a range of interpretations:

• Designs inspired by historical or contemporary art movements.

• Silhouettes and tailoring that emphasize structure and form.

• Innovative fabrics and details that show design techniques and materials and design concepts.

The emphasis is on interpreting clothing through artistic concepts with creative flexibility.

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Coleman Domingo at the 2025 Met Gala

The 2026 Met Gala and the accompanying exhibition position fashion as an integral part of art history, highlighting the connection between fashion and visual culture between design, craftsmanship, and visual culture.