Met Gala 2026: Know all about the dress code, what inspired it, and high-profile co-chairs leading the night

Find out what inspired the dress code of the Met Gala 2026 and what it means for the designers and attendees.

One of the most anticipated glamorous fashion events of the year is the Met Gala, drawing attention all around the world. The event revolves around a dress code, and it is remarkable to see how celebrities interpret it, pushing boundaries of sartorial creativity with impeccable panache.

Vogue announced the theme for 2026 Met Gala. (AFP)

For Met Gala 2026, the event is set to take place on May 4, the first Monday of May, as always. This year's dress code has already been unveiled: ‘Fashion is Art.’ Vogue shared the announcement on social media on February 23.

‘Fashion is Art’

The announcement also includes a brief explanation of the decision.

Vogue revealed that the dress code aligns with the Costume Institute's exhibition, ‘Costume Art,’ and encouraged fans to keep their eyes peeled for what the stars will wear.

While ‘Fashion is Art’ is undoubtedly thought-provoking, it is also massively open to interpretation, as art can be expressed in countless ways.

Previous years' dress codes, like Superfine: Tailoring Black Style (2025), Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion (2024), and Karl Lagerfield: A Line of Beauty (2023), were more specific, giving designers and celebrities a sense of creative direction. This year's , however, is far more open to interpretation. Since art is incredibly subjective, it gives design teams a wide berth to experiment, innovate and go the extra mile.

For a bit more detail, let's take a closer look at the exhibition that inspired the theme.

According to the official website, the description reads, “The Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition explores depictions of the dressed body across The Met’s vast collection, pairing garments with artworks to reveal the inherent relationship between clothing and the body.”

The exhibition focuses on Western art from ancient times to today, to depict how clothes connect with ideas, politics, symbolism and personal expression.

With such an open-ended dress code, drawing inspiration from an art history spanning from ancient times to the modern era, expect to see plenty of storytelling on the red carpet, including inventive mixes of retro styles with futuristic, avant-garde designs. Fashion enthusiasts planning to tune in to decode the Met Gala looks might want to brush up on their art history for adeptly spotting the inspo behind each look.

Co-chairs

The post also announced high-profile stars from various fields, music, film and sports, as this year's co-chairs: record-breaking Grammy winner Beyonce, Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman and tennis legend Venus Williams. For the uninformed co-chairs, help in planning and overseeing the event. They are also responsible for selecting the theme, setting the dress code and curating the guest list. They also help promote the event.