The Met Gala steps are a stage where celebrities strive not merely to look pretty, but to create indelible, avant-garde fashion moments. The most memorable looks tend to commit to the often abstract theme and take risks not typically seen on award show red carpets. Sometimes that works; other times it ends in disaster.
This year, guests stepped onto a mossy-looking, trompe l’oeil cobblestone carpet surrounded by a backdrop that recalled a Monet canvas. It was fitting for the evening’s brief: “Fashion is art.” It may be a bit on the nose for an event whose raison d’être is to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s fashion-focused Costume Institute.
There were fake nipples and molded torsos; flowers and feathers; dripping jewels and one delightful burst of bubbles.
For close followers of our past most stylish lists, what follows is a shift in approach. Typically, we bring you a distillation of the looks that got people talking — the good, the bad and the most interesting. This year, since we now give you a chance to vote on your favorite looks, we’re saying, unequivocally, that these were ours (presented in no particular order).
Naomi Osaka
In this Robert Wun gown, spurts of blood — in the form of delicate feathers — spring from incisions in the fabric.
Teyana Taylor
No other garment had quite the same movement as this frosty, fringed frock by Tom Ford that shimmied whenever Taylor struck a pose.
Chase Infiniti
Inspired by the “Venus de Milo,” this primary-colored Thom Browne gown is a no-naked take on naked dressing.
Troye Sivan
In a sea of sequins and other opulent baubles, what at least presented as a pair of distressed denim trousers — by Prada — were like a palate cleanser.
Babyface
If Vermeer’s “Girl With a Pearl Earring” made a meal of her signature accessory.
Beyoncé
A look that was worth the decade-long wait for the star’s reappearance at the Met Gala.
Gracie Abrams
The gold adornments and jewels made Abrams look completely Klimtian in this peachy Chanel gown.
Zoë Kravitz
It’s goth meets grande dame. No engagement ring needed to get the people talking.
Alexi Ashe
For the real heads: the Yves Klein Blue body-print dress from spring 2017, one of Phoebe Philo’s last collections at Celine.
Glenn Martens
Other men on the carpet looked as if they had tried needlessly hard when Martens, the creative director of Maison Margiela, appeared in this undeniable tuxedo. This is how every man should dress.
Eileen Gu
A profusion of bubbles continuously spouting from this teacup dress brought some joie de vivre to the carpet.
Alexa Chung
It should be illegal to look so good for so long on so many red carpets.
Tory Burch
A basket full of roses.
Adwoa Aboah
Many tried corsets; several donned sheer skirts. But none managed to look quite so delicate, elegant and demure.
Tessa Thompson
More Yves Klein Blue, in whimsical curlicues.
Stella Bugbee, Jacob Gallagher and Marie Solis contributed reporting.
The post Our 15 Favorite Looks at the 2026 Met Gala appeared first on New York Times.
