The Theme For The 2026 Met Gala Has Been Revealed

Anticipations for the most significant evening in international fashion.

Artwork by Julie Wolfe / Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

It’s undoubtedly the biggest yearly fashion event in the world, with celebrities from all over the world attending (dressed, of course, to theme) in celebration of New York City‘s famed art museum. The Met Gala is undeniably stunning, although it required extensive planning to achieve its current form. This document contains all pertinent information regarding the event, including the theme, dress code, co-chairs, and instructions for viewing it from home.

What is the theme for the 2025 Met Gala?

The Met Gala topic is determined by the Costume Institute's yearly spring exhibition, as per tradition. On 17 November 2025, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced that their forthcoming exhibition will be entitled Costume Art, exploring the complexities of the clothed body through the dialogue established between museum artworks and clothes from the Costume Institute.

This highly imaginative and cooperative exhibition will showcase the Museum's innovative and progressive methodology in presenting Costume Institute exhibitions, while emphasising The Met's distinctive capacity to contextualise fashion within over 5,000 years of art represented in its collection. Max Hollein, The Met’s Marina Kellen French Director and Chief Executive Officer, elucidated. He states that the exhibition, which will extend for three additional months compared to its predecessor, will introduce a series of significant new gallery spaces named in honour of the late Condé M. Nast. ‘The newly designed, state-of-the-art Condé M. Nast Galleries further represent The Met’s dedication to showcasing and appreciating fashion as an art form, and also to constantly investing in gallery enhancement projects that will benefit our visitors for centuries to come. We express profound gratitude to all our supporters for their exceptional generosity in establishing these new, magnificent public galleries.

Costume Art will concentrate on Western art from prehistory to the present, organised into thematic body types, including 'Naked Body', 'Classical Body', 'Pregnant Body', 'Ageing Body', 'Anatomical Body', and 'Mortal Body', to demonstrate the relationship between clothing and the body. Combinations of fashion and art will elucidate how creative depictions of the body are influenced by the clothing that adorn it, and conversely, how garments are influenced by the bodies they envelop.

I aimed to emphasise the significance of the adorned body within the Museum, linking visual depictions of the body with fashion as a corporeal art form. stated Andrew Bolton, Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute. ‘Rather than highlighting fashion’s visuality, which frequently comes at the price of the corporeal, Costume Art highlights its materiality and the inseparable relationship between our bodies and the clothes we wear. The inauguration of the new Galleries will signify a crucial moment for the department, recognising the essential significance of fashion in both art history and contemporary society.

What Is The Dress Code?

The dress code typically diverges from the official Met Gala theme. Last year, the spring exhibition was titled Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, with a dress code of ‘Tailored For You’. The dress code is usually revealed by Vogue many months before to the event, so we must await the complete regulations; nonetheless, we can anticipate an emphasis on the exhibition theme while honouring unique flair.

What Is The Met Gala?

Founded in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Coinciding with the opening of the museum’s spring exhibition, attendees are encouraged to dress up based on the year’s exhibition topic in a formal and haute couture style - making it one of the most spectacular fashion events on the yearly calendar. Since 1995, the event has been co-chaired by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue.

When and where will the Met Gala take place?

The Met Gala occurs annually in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In accordance with tradition, it occurs on the first Monday of May to commemorate the inauguration of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition; the forthcoming gala is scheduled for 4 May 2026.

Who Participates?

In contrast to other charitable events, the Met Gala operates on an invitation-only basis, typically featuring a waiting list for ticket acquisition. It typically attracts celebrities and notable figures from the realms of art, fashion, movies, music, sports, and high society. Attendees from the previous year included Lewis Hamilton, Rihanna, Zendaya, Stormzy, Gigi Hadid, Dua Lipa, Anne Hathaway, Colman Domingo, and Madonna. The guest list remains confidential until the event, hence we will not ascertain who will attend until the first Monday in May.

Who are the co-chairs?

The Met Gala is often headed by a consortium of prominent A-listers, in conjunction with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who have significantly influenced the cultural zeitgeist. In 2025, the Met Gala was co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Pharrell Williams, with NBA icon LeBron James as the honorary chair. No names have been released thus far; further information is anticipated in 2026.

Who comprises the Host Committee?

In prior years, Anna Wintour has appointed one or two individuals to host the Met Gala. Recently, the traditional structure has been supplanted by a host committee of prominent individuals from the realms of arts, culture, fashion, film, music, and sports. The composition of the forthcoming committee is anticipated to be disclosed in 2026.

Instructions for Viewing the 2026 Met Gala

Not many countries will show the Met Gala live on television; therefore, your optimal option is to stream the event through Vogue's official social media channels. There will be a Met Gala takeover on the publication’s TikTok and YouTube, as well as its website. Remain attentive for further developments.

When: 10 May 2026 – 10 January 2027

Where: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10028 (Gallery 099)

BOOK: metmuseum.org