The best dressed stars at the 2026 Met Gala

That’s a wrap on this year’s Met Gala red carpet – and Vogue’s 2026 Met Gala best dressed list is here.

Tonight, top stars ascended the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and their theatrical looks gave fashion spectators plenty to discuss – not to mention delight in. Unsurprisingly, the best dressed (and most memorable) of the evening all centred around attendees who closely considered both the 2026 theme – “Costume Art,” exploring the centrality of the dressed body) and dress code – dubbed, appropriately, ”Fashion is Art.”

Related: Our editors pick their favourite Met Gala looks of all time

Many of the winning ensembles this year were intentional designs, exploring similar motifs that can be found within the new Costume Institute exhibition inside the Met – including plenty of garments that put major focus on silhouette, and enhancing (or concealing) the form underneath. The Met, after all, is not just a night for playing dress-up. Rather, it’s a prime opportunity for powerful storytelling, not to mention subverting expectations too.

Below, read on for Vogue’s best dressed stars at the 2026 Met Gala.

This Mugler by Miguel Castro Freitas look was hand-painted (talk about Fashion Is Art!) and inspired by archival Mugler looks, including a butterfly dress from 1997.

No zipper, no problem! Graham was sewn into her Met Gala look by hand by Di Pesta, who is also heavily featured in the exhibition.

Delevingne Ralph Lauren look referenced…Ralph Lauren. Specifically, the dress Rooney Mara wore on her November 2011 Vogue cover.

Talk about saving (some of) the best for last: Rihanna's sculptural Maison Margiela gown drew inspiration from the medieval architecture found in Flounders, Belgium. Rocky? He went full dapper in pink Mathieu Blazy-era Chanel.

It took 800 hours of hand-craft to bead this Chanel dress with ruby-hued sequins and feathers. A strong start for Chanel by Matthieu Blazy’s Met Gala debut.

Burke, whose own figure was molded into a mannequin for “Costume Art,” wore a jet-black Siriano gown with feather-like embellishments at the shoulder.

Williams’s dazzling Swarovski look included a neckplate she custom-designed with symbols to represent her life, like LA’s Watts Tower—a wink at her Californian roots.

Wasser’s look was gilded and glorious—with pleats reminiscent of the many goddess gowns in the exhibition.

Philip, whose own figure was molded into a mannequin for “Costume Art,” is a longtime muse of Collina Strada’s Hillary Taymour. The resulting gown recalled the slinky gown of a 1930s screen siren.

Who better than her own life partner to craft her Met Gala dress? This fourth look was inspired, per Christie, by artists John Singer Sargent, Madame Yevonde, and Ira Cohen.

We were all excited to see her brand new rock (the Jessica Jessica McCormack engagement ring just given to her by Harry Styles), but this sculptural lace dress was just as thrilling!

In his all-white look (referencing Grecian goddess dresses), Batiste opted for puff, not pleats.

Like grandmother, like grandson! This pair of ethereal Jacquemus looks is gauzy and airy.

Life imitated art in Getty’s look (a bejeweled finger on her dress was mimicked by the real thing).

This was a strong Met Gala debut for Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s Loewe—the look is more cool girl than goddess. And Pidgeon embodies the vibe perfectly.

It’s difficult to top Ambani’s jewellery, but this draped and Sari-esque Gupta look goes neck and neck. And let’s not forget the mango purse!

We loved it, but we’re glad Storrie removed his Saint Laurent blazer…all the better to admire his Saint Laurent halter!

With this ruched pink Altuzarra dress with a gorgeously off-the-shoulder fit, Reese shoots, and she scores!

In this uber glossy black wrap jacket, Alejandro gives us a fresh take on the “wet look.”

Divine simplicity was conjured by this Burch dress, complete with a statuesque capelet.

Vonn channeled the “classical body” subsection of the exhibition with an awe-inspiring dress beaded to create a trompe l’oeil marbling effect. The result is a gown that mimics swirling limestone in an homage to classical sculpture.

Hadid’s Miu Miu dress was an amalgamation of her favorite ideas drawn from past Miu Miu collections. She pulled flames from the spring 2011 and a sheer silhouette from spring 1998. Talk about a custom look!

Ejae channeled her Korean heritage in this shimmering custom Swarovski look, which was partly inspired by the Venus de Milo and partly inspired by “기녀,” which in English translates to the female courtesans of the Joseon dynasty.

This look? Tech meets flora. The high-necked gown was a bricolage of electrical cables, moss, succulents, and circuit board fragments. A dress that is both upcycled and recyclable!

Positively retro! Hawke's look played up Prada's penchant for Americana and rockabilly with a full skirt and a headband.

Need a hand? Lisa’s got a couple extra! The global superstar teamed up with Robert Wun to 3D-scan her own arms and hands to create a veiled arrangement inspired by traditional Thai dance positions.

Gurung didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Bassett’s dress is inspired by Laura Wheeler Waring’s "Girl in Pink Dress" (1927), which is in the Met's collection

Why cover them up? Skepta’s custom Thom Browne suit featured embroidered versions of his tattoos.

This Harris Reed demi-couture look featured over 400 hours of glass bead work transformed into a sculpted bodice—replete with belly button and all!

A florabunda bonanza! This strapless black Dior gown is littered with blooms. The result is as pretty as a painting.

Domingo is not one to shy away from color. For this look, Valentino used a medley of pleated strips in primary hues and wove them into a jacket.

To make her Met Gala debut at 77, Stevie Nicks wore blue velvet. The entire look was part steampunk, part witchy popstar.

When others go bold, going classic can sometimes pack a punch! Julianne Moore's silk crepe Bottega Veneta dress came with a silk organza stole, and they both shined.

KUN dressed as the "Vital Body" from the 2026 Met "Costume Art" exhibit. One half of the look featured over 400,000 sequins and beads, meant to represent the circulatory system. It's giving us life.

Jisoo looked like a pretty floral arrangement in her strapless pink Dior column gown. It was draped in gazar, and embroidered with a garden scene and trimmed with floral bouquets.

High-brow? More like bleached brows! Kylie Jenner committed to her Schiaparelli couture gown, It took 11,000 hours of work to complete the embroidery alone—and featured 10,000 baroque pearls and 7,000 painted pearlescent fish scales.

Talk about a garment with history! Paloma Elsesser's dress is made up of a constellation of different garments dating from the 1920s through the 1940s, all sourced across continents.

When Alex Consani removed her white faille cape on the red carpet, the crowd went wild—likely because that nude tulle corseted bustier and voluminous feathered skirt and train was a delightful surprise underneath

Talk about going for gold: That molded Saint Laurent bodice Hailey Bieber wore was made of actual 24-karat gold. Cha-ching!

"In a room full of people, I look for you..." — Such is a Sombr lyric, and if he were wearing this Valentino cape in a crowded room, we would instantly want to lock eyes.

Anne Hathaway's Michael Kors Collection gown could be hung up in the Met, given it was made in collaboration with the artist James McGough. His illustrations were inspired by a John Keats poem, titled "Ode on a Grecian Urn."

That's a wrap! Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter wore a Dior tulle slit dress made of film strips—from the film Sabrina, naturally.

The body is the canvas: Italian supermodel Vitoria Cerretti's Carolina Herrera gown perfectly framed her form, like a well-drawn sculpture.

Vintage? So fetch! SZA donned a custom Bode look that was exclusively crafted from eBay-sourced vintage fabrics, tapestries, curtains, and beaded appliqués.

Once a ballerina, always a ballerina: Misty Copeland channeled her artistic roots in an elegant Michael Kors Collection gown that was made for twirling.

When in doubt, just add crystals: Babyface's bedazzled LaQuan Smith tailoring was plain-ol' fab.

Over 294 hours and about 5,150 embroidery elements were required to make Gracie Abrams's golden lace and nude chiffon Chanel dress. It could be all of the multicolored crystals, sequins, and chains.

Given the "Pregnant Body" was a theme of the 2026 "Costume Art" exhibit, we were bound to have a high-fashion maternity moment on the Met steps—and model Adut Akech delivered in her chic Thom Browne.

Riffing off the design of a classic white T-shirt, Kendall Jenner's custom GapStudio gown by Zac Posen takes liquid jersey and gives it a custom-molded finish. Hand-dyed in tea, it had a crafted and lived-in feel—just like your favorite tee.

Do you believe in life after love? We don't know—but we do know that Cher looks totally fabulous in her Burberry look. It was based on her 1974 Met dress by Bob Mackie.

Head-to-toe black can be a bold statement, as proven by supermodel Anok Yai's structural hooded Balenciaga gown.

From the fitted bodysuit to the cage-structured overskirt with leather flowers, Hoyeon's shapely Louis Vuitton number was true wearable art.

The Met Gala is no stranger to hosting red carpet royalty—but tonight, actual royalty showed up, looking as regal as ever.

Bitch, she’s Madonna! The iconic pop star—soon in her "Confessions 2" era—hit the red carpet in Saint Laurent, and nobody does a dramatic veil like her. "Like a Virgin," anyone?

Talk about a true fashion collaboration: Kardashian wore a molded breastplate and leather skirt by designer Whitaker Malem and British artist Allen Jones. The only thing better than a beautiful sculpture? A wearable sculpture.

For her 11th Met Gala look, Lively looked to the powdery hues of 18th-century Venetian Rococo paintings. She chose a spring 2006 archival Versace gown but explained that she and Versace “Met-ified” it by adding a 13-foot train.

Idris was swathed in Prada leather! He paired his leather pants with a boxy-cut leather coat, and a punch of color came by way of a bright red shirt with oversized tuxedo cuffs.

To design her look, Met Gala co-chair Tschabalala Self worked with her friend (they met at Bard College!) Brandon Blackwood. On the moodboard was Edgar Degas’s ballerina sculpture; he wanted Self to look like an “upside-down tulip”.

This is not Carrozzini and Sarah Burton’s first Met Gala rodeo! The two have long worked together, and this look, featuring floral, wispy embroideries and fringes, celebrated artistry in fashion.

Beyoncé and Olivier Rousteing team up again: The 2026 Met Gala co-chair looked to the designer for her silvery skeleton look tonight. You should know him: He also designed her iconic Beychella outfits circa 2018.

Talk about a dress worthy of a double-take! Chase Infiniti's trompe l'oeil Thom Browne dress was inspired by the ancient Greek "Venus de Milo" statue—and used 1.5 million stacked sequins, paired with tiered silk fringes in over 600 different colors.

Ben Platt donned Tanner Fletcher's hand-painted and embroidered silk-wool suit, inspired by Georges Seurat’s "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" (which is featured in the Met's "Costume Art" exhibit, no less).

High-fashion hunk: Jeremy Pope's muscular Vivienne Westwood jacket was circa fall 1996. The corseted evening jacket was embroidered with pearls, glass beads, sequins, and stones on silk duchess—and made by Mr. Pearl, the renowned corset maker.

In her Schiaparelli, Sánchez Bezos channeled the scandal of John Singer Sargent’s Madame X—slipped strap and all.

Yet another cool Loewe girl on the red carpet. Beneath this whispy blue column dress? A delightfully unexpected pair of leggings.

Jacobson is Joan of Arc in the medieval chain mail-inspired look from Findikoglu, who is known for her application of true hardware on her garments. The look's final medieval touch? A chiffon ruff.

Talk about a sleek power couple. In coordinated Tom Ford, the two stars proved understated-chic never goes out of style.