The Met Gala 2026 theme has been announced as “Fashion Is Art”.
The theme is tied to the Costume Institute’s “Costume Art” exhibition.
Showcase will feature over 400 works spanning 5000 years.
The Met Gala 2026 theme has officially been revealed, and it is already shaping up to spark conversation. Titled “Fashion Is Art”, the dress code accompanies the spring exhibition “Costume Art” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, setting the stage for one of the most open-ended red carpets in recent memory.
The announcement was shared by Vogue, confirming that guests will celebrate the exhibition while interpreting fashion as an embodied art form. The idea moves beyond the long-standing debate of whether fashion qualifies as art and instead positions the dressed body at the centre of artistic expression.
What do we know about the Met Gala 2026 theme?
The “Costume Art” exhibition will explore how clothing shapes and represents the human form across centuries. According to Andrew Bolton, curator of the Costume Institute, the flexible dress code was chosen deliberately. His hope is that the theme finally settles the outdated question of whether fashion belongs in the same space as painting or sculpture.
More than 400 pieces are expected to be displayed, spanning roughly 5000 years of art history. The exhibition will include garments, archival designs and artworks that highlight the relationship between the body and visual culture.
What to expect from this year’s Met Gala:
With a theme as broad as “Fashion Is Art”, the red carpet could become a canvas for experimentation. Designers may look to ancient civilisations, Renaissance portraiture or futuristic concepts to interpret the brief. Others may blend retro silhouettes with avant-garde detailing, pushing the boundary between costume and couture.
The co-chair line-up adds further star power. Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams will serve as co-chairs, while Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz join the host committee. Together, they will help shape the evening’s tone and guest list.
The Met Gala 2026 will take place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Monday, May 4, 2026.
