Dozens of celebrities, politicians and attendees will soon walk the red carpet at the annual Met Gala Monday night in New York City, adorned in outfits tailored to the 2026 dress code of “Fashion is Art.”

The dress code revolves around the theme, “Costume Art,” which is based on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute spring exhibition. 

Organizers say the show will highlight the connection between clothing and the body and the “complex interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an embodied artform.”

What is the Met Gala theme this year?

“Costume Art,” the theme for the 2026 Met Gala, will explore the intersection of fashion and art. The exhibit it is based on is open from May 10 through Jan. 10. 

“Costume Art will present a dynamic and scholarly conversation between garments from The Costume Institute and an array of artworks from across The Met’s collection, elevating universal and timeless themes while bringing forward new ideas and ways of seeing,” said CEO of The Met, Max Hollein.

Big names such as Beyonce, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour will co-chair the Met Gala. Meanwhile, Anthony Vaccarello and Zoe Kravitz will co-chair the Gala Host Committee.

The committee will include celebrities like Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Lena Dunham and Sam Smith, among many more. 

What was last year’s Met Gala theme?

The theme in 2025 was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” with the dress code of “Tailored for You.” It was the first exhibit in more than 20 years to focus exclusively on menswear, specifically Black style.

In 2024, the theme was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” with the dress code, “The Garden of Time.”