The Biggest Trends from the 2026 Met Gala
The Biggest Trends from the 2026 Met Gala
Alex Apatoff, Lauren LiebermanWed, May 6, 2026 at 7:24 PM UTC
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Credit: Getty (5)
With hundreds of celebrities climbing the stairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the first Monday in May to celebrate the Met Gala (which benefits the museum's Costume Institute), there are bound to be some trends worth noting. And given that the stars are issued a dress code to adhere to — this year's was "Fashion As Art," an interpretation of the new exhibit "Costume Art" — it only stands to reason that many people drew similar inspiration from the paintings and statues in the Met's collection and beyond.
Whether it was a modern take on a famous portrait, a more risqué interpretation of the body's role in fashion or simply a statement that left us all scratching our heads a bit, there was much to discuss from fashion's biggest night. Read on for the trends that got us talking.
Related: The Best, Worst and Most Oops Moments of the 2026 Met Gala
01 of 10
Madame X Recreations
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John Singer Sargent's Madame X is one of the most famous portraits in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, and several stars drew on it for inspiration. At the time it was painted, it was the subject of controversy due to Singer's depiction of the strap slipping off the subject's shoulder. Though Sargent repainted it to make it less scandalous, Lauren Sánchez Bezos (in Schiaparelli), Claire Foy (in Erdem) and Julianne Moore (in Bottega Veneta) all nodded to the original vision in their gowns.
02 of 10
Colorful Earrings
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The Met Gala is always a showcase for some of the most jaw-dropping jewels in existence, but one trend stood out among all the diamonds: Glamorous colorful gemstones dangling from the ears of Blake Lively (wearing Lorraine Schwartz), Doechii (in David Webb emeralds and amethysts) and Amanda Seyfried (in Tiffany & Co. aquamarines).
03 of 10
Painted Body Parts
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The "human body as art" theme lent itself to a lot of painted-on body art, as seen on Paloma Elsesser, A'ja Wilson, Anok Yai and Ashley Graham.
04 of 10
Breast Case Scenario
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The same theme also lent itself to a lot of consideration about how the body factored into fashion itself, as seen on these double-take gowns worn by Chase Infiniti (in Thom Browne) and Doja Cat and Hailey Bieber (both in Saint Laurent).
05 of 10
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Obstructed-View Couture
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Katy Perry, Sarah Paulson, Luke Evans and Rachel Zegler were among the celebrities whose commitment to art also required a commitment to blindly walking up the famous Met Gala stairs.
06 of 10
Flavorful Fashion
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Florals were a theme throughout the evening, but the dresses worn by Blue Ivy Carter (in Balenciaga), Karlie Kloss (in Dior Haute Couture) and Ciara Miller (who was on the ground for E!) were reminiscent of another fragrant plant — garlic! (Clearly Arielle Vandenberg got the memo for her party crashing attire.)
07 of 10
Red Eyeshadow
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Winged liner? A bold lip? Amateur hour. Keke Palmer, Madonna and Angela Bassett went for a much higher degree of difficulty for their beauty looks, opting for bold red blush and shadow for a major statement.
08 of 10
Extra Hands
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Everyone could use a hand from time to time. In the case of Nichapat Suphap, Lisa (in Robert Wun) and Lena Mahfouf, they had two (or more!) to spare.
09 of 10
Golden Gowns
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If there were ever a night to go for the gold, this was it, and Rihanna (in Margiela), Tate McRae (wearing Ludovic de Saint Sernin), Sutton Foster (in Monse), Margot Robbie (in Chanel) and Ciara (wearing Celia Kritharioti) definitely picked the moment to shine.
10 of 10
Face Gems
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In addition to the oodles of diamonds, emeralds and sapphires adorning everyone's hands and wrists, some celebrities went for even more sparkle, affixing delicate stones to their eyes, cheeks and nose. (Pictured: Rauw Alejandro in Ida Lajevardi’s Yaqee Studio, Rihanna and Odessa A'zion.)
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