If the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art could talk, they likely would have sighed at what unfolded last night during the 2026 Met Gala. The evening centered on the theme “Costume Art” with the dress code “Fashion is Art” was a masterclass in the surreal, sculptural, and high-stakes event at the intersection of Silicon Valley and Seventh Avenue. Let’s really dig into what went down at the gala, which outfits were front-cover-worthy, and which outfits could have stayed in the drafts.
While the evening did not fall short in its triumph of aesthetics, it was equally defined by the classic Met Gala attendants who chose to stay home, turning the sidewalk outside the Museum into as much of a newsroom as the red carpet itself.
The atmosphere this year felt very different from the campy theater of years past. Known as the “Tech Gala” by insiders, the air was thick with the influence of this year’s financial patrons, most notably Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez. The decor inside the Great Hall mirrored the Costume Art theme, featuring over 200 garments positioned alongside 200 classic art objects, effectively turning the gala into a living gallery.
The most electric gossip of the night, surprisingly, wasn’t about what people were wearing, but who wasn’t there to wear it. A quiet boycott seemed to ripple through the A-listers, largely fueled by a backlash against the event’s heavy corporate ties to Bezos. The two undisputed queens of the Met steps, Bella Hadid and Zendaya, were noticeably absent. While representatives cited professional scheduling, the timing of their departure from the guest list fueled intense social media speculation regarding the gala’s new leadership.
Despite the buzz surrounding The Devil Wears Prada 2, the legendary actress Meryl Streep skipped the event. Her team noted that the gala has never quite been her scene, though her absence was held up as a symbolic stand. Two more prominent figures, Ariana Grande and Billy Porter, who are usually synonymous with the Met’s theatricality, were also missing from the final lineup, leaving a huge void in the evening.
Ignoring the obvious absences, some who did show up leaned heavily into the art of it all, treating the carpet like a canvas. With Rihanna wearing Maison Margiela, she arrived in a shimmering, sculptural costume piece that solidified her as a prominent figure for the evening. Another notable fashion choice of the evening was none other than Venus Williams, wearing a Custom Swarovski black crystal mesh gown, inspired by her own 2022 portrait by Robert Pruitt.
The 2026 Met Gala was a beautiful contradiction. While the Costume Art theme was intended to celebrate this rigorous craftsmanship and the historical significance of fashion, a significant portion of the guest list appeared to take the word costume in its most literal and least sophisticated sense. Many people (myself included) hoped to see architectural silhouettes or textile innovations; instead, the steps of the Met felt cluttered with tackiness.
Many celebrities opted for literalist interpretations that veered into the realm of a party store aesthetic, favoring neon colors, oversized props, and headpieces that felt desperate for a viral moment rather than an appreciated artistic one. This descent sparked a wave of criticism that noted celebrities were trying too hard to be theatrical. Many attendees stripped the event of its prestige, turning what should have been a celebration of high art into a loud, disjointed spectacle of costume shop clichés.
Now, don’t get me wrong, even with all the chaos and missing people, there are still some looks that left me speechless. Emma Chamberlain emerged as a standout in a hand-painted, archival-inspired Mugler look that perfectly balanced the themes’ sculptural roots with a modern, ethereal edge. Isha Ambani brought a breathtaking level of craftsmanship to the steps in a draped, Sari-esque Gaurav Gupta gown, which she paired with a playful mango-shaped purse that was made of steel and is over 20 years old! This look was a definite nod to high-fashion surrealism. Meanwhile, Jisoo embodied timeless elegance in a custom Christian Dior dress that proved simplicity can be its own form of high art.
Kylie Jenner opted for a structural, avant-garde Schiaparelli piece that leaned more into the creative theme expected of the exhibition. This look, which took over 11,000 hours of work to complete the embroidery, 10,000 pearls, and 7,000 painted fish scales, is definitely one of the most notable of the night. Rounding out the night’s successes, Alex Consani made a striking impression in custom Gucci, delivering a look that managed to feel both curated and effortless, reminding the crowd that true style does not need to be literal or loud. When Consani revealed on the steps what was under her white cape, the crowd went wild, probably due to the corseted bustier and the feathered skirt and train underneath.
Ultimately, even with all of the hard work and many amazing looks, the night felt less like a celebration of artistic vision and more like a disjointed masquerade, proving that no amount of corporate funding can buy the effortless taste that the Met Gala used to represent.