MET Gala 2026 Highlights: Beyonce, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway To Isha Ambani, Celebs Walk The Coveted Carpet On Fashion's Biggest Night

 Jaafar Jackson paid tribute to his uncle, Michael Jackson, just days after his film Michael saw strong box office success at the Met Gala 2026. The 29-year-old actor arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for fashion's biggest night, marking his first-ever appearance at the event in a black velvet suit by Ralph Lauren with gold detailing, paired with a black bowtie, red socks, and black ballet-style shoes. 

His outfit reflected a classic style often associated with Michael Jackson's iconic stage looks.

Princess Gauravi Kumari honoured her royal roots in a vintage chiffon saree, which was owned by her great-grandmother, Maharani Gayatri Devi. 

“This is my great grandmother’s vintage chiffon saree… our home city Jaipur’s colour is pink, so this attire is an ode to our home city.” She completed the look with pearls inspired by Maharani Gayatri Devi.

Just like Beyonce, Rihanna is also fashionably late, and well, she didn't arrive. Her date for the night was her partner A$AP Rocky.

She looked enchanting in a sculptural metallic ensemble, featuring a long-sleeve embellished top with dramatic makeup.

The youngest sibling of all, Kylie Jenner, wore a Schiaparelli gown featuring a nude corset-style bodice with sculptural detailing. She paired it with a draped cream skirt. She bleached her brows for the look.

Kendall Jenner looked stunning in a body-hugging white gown from Gap Studio with a revealing sculpted leather bra underneath. It featured an asymmetrical cut and a long train.

While the Jenner sisters opted for white shades for their Met Gala 2026 appearance, their elder sister, Kim Kardashian, stepped on the carpet in a sculptural bronze breastplate paired with a front-open skirt. She sported a blonde hairstyle complemented by her dress.

Beyonce, a final co-host of the Met Gala, arrived with her elder daughter, Blue Ivy. While the singer shone in a bejewelled ensemble, her daughter walked in a white ensemble.

Opening up about her feelings walking the iconic steps with her daughter, Beyonce told Vogue that it was “surreal” and that it was “incredible to be able to share it with her.” When asked what she was most looking forward to in the evening, she responded, “I think it’s really just experiencing this through the eyes of Blue.”

Beyonce, a final co-host of the Met Gala, made a grand entrance at the Met Gala 2026 in a bejewelled gown featuring a skeleton with ribs and a sternum. 

She layered her ensemble with a feathered cape that required four people to hold as she walked up the staircase. Don't miss her shimmery gown, announcing that she is the ultimate queen.

In a shocking appearance, Bad Bunny seemingly went through a time machine to arrive at the Met Gala 2026. He walked the carpet in an old man look - hyper-realistic face, walking cane and white hair.

Sabrina Carpenter takes the dress code too seriously as she wears film reels of the movie Sabrina, paired with a sheer skirt. 

The singer accessorised her look with a headpiece.

Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu made a memorable appearance at the 2026 Met Gala in a unique dress adorned with 15,000 glass bubbles. This remarkable creation took 2,550 hours to design and has the added feature of blowing actual bubbles. The dress was designed by Iris van Herpen.

Lisa wore an angelic white gown with a sheer veil, which was held up by two mannequin hands fashioned to her shoulders. Fashion is Art, indeed.

Hailey Bieber wore a Saint Laurent outfit that featured a bold strapless gold, armour-like bodice paired with a fitted cobalt blue skirt. She completed her look with chunky gold earrings and a sheer dupatta-style drape across her neckline, giving her appearance a Greek goddess-like feel.

Hailey arrived solo at the event, while her husband Justin Bieber stayed home with their 20-month-old son, Jack Blues Bieber.

Ananya Birla made a striking debut at the Met Gala 2026 in a black couture look that blended fashion with art. For her appearance, Birla wore a custom creation by Robert Wun, paired with a sculptural mask designed by artist Subodh Gupta. 

The outfit featured a structured black jacket with a dramatic peplum and a voluminous pleated skirt, giving it a strong, sculpted silhouette.

What grabbed our attention was her metallic face mask made using stainless steel. The design aimed to present a contrast, hiding identity while also showing strength.

Anne Hathaway made a striking appearance at the Met Gala 2026 in a hand-painted Michael Kors Gown. The black silk and Mikado ball gown features a plunging neckline and high-leg slit. The inspiration for her dress comes from a poem by John Keats, Ode on a Grecian Urn.

She accessorised her ensemble with a Bulgari Vimini necklace, which is in yellow gold 18kt with pavé-set diamonds.

Isha Ambani brought art, craft and couture to the Met Gala carpet dressed in a saree. The design draws from India’s rich textile and artistic heritage, incorporating hand-painted and embroidered elements with a sculptural drape. 

She paired her saree with an embellished blouse adorned with diamonds and metallic zardozi embroidery. The precious stones were sourced from her mother, Nita Ambani’s personal collection, underscoring a legacy of Indian craftsmanship - including a historic Sarpech piece at the back, once part of Nizam’s collection.

Her look was completed with a jasmine-inspired hair sculpture - an artistic reinterpretation of the traditional mogra gajra.

In a final gesture aligning with the evening’s theme, Ambani carried a Subodh Gupta mango sculpture, a symbolic nod to her heritage and a literal embodiment of art in hand.

Karan Johar brings Indian culture to the global stage as he makes his Met Gala debut. Inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma, walked in a regal look. Designed by Manish Malhotra, he wore a vintage jacket and layered it with a hand-painted cape. "Inspired by the art of Raja Ravi Varma. Raja Ravi Varma felt right because his work does something I’ve always tried to do in cinema. He painted feelings.

Sam Smith does not shy away from experimenting with fashion, and this was once again evident at the Met Gala 2026. The musician arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in a black Erte showgirl-inspired mermaid dress, complete with a fuzzy collar and sleeves that looked like wings.

The 33-year-old, whose outfit was designed by their partner Christian Cowan, completed the look with a tall feathered headpiece.

Heidi Klum took the theme too seriously and turned herself into a living and breathing statue.

Janelle Monáe's gown, inspired by nature and technology, features a mossy design that blends these two elements beautifully.

Irina Shayk proves she is the hottest model as she arrives at the Met Gala carpet in a bra that is made out of necklaces and diamond nipple pasties. She paired it with a low-waist black skirt, adding an oomph effect.

Indian designer Manish Malhotra walked the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a classic black bandhgala, featuring Mumbai. Yes, literally. The garment showcases a beautiful blend of Dori, zardozi, chikankari, and kasab embroidery, each telling a story. Woven into the design are the names and signatures of the artisans themselves, serving as a tribute to every hand and moment that contributed to its creation. The intricate hand embroidery references Mumbai’s cinematic landmarks, while three-dimensional sculptural elements celebrate the artisans from his atelier who crafted the piece.

Gigi Hadid arrives on the carpet in a custom Miu Miu sheer gown with crystal flame and floral details. The gown is inspired by the spring 2011 collection.

Doja Cat looked gorgeous in a Saint Laurent design latex cloak with a matching scarf. Her look perfectly honours the theme of the Met Gala 2026.

It seems Luke Evans understood the assignment - the theme Costume Art - and turned the heads at the Met Gala carpet in a leather outfit inspired by Tom of Finland.

Lena Mahfouf, a 28-year-old French influencer, made a bold statement by going braless on the Met Gala carpet. She wore a custom gown by Burc Akyol, which featured two metallic hands positioned across her chest. The gown was complemented by a pale blue, Grecian-style skirt that sat low on her hips.

Zoë Kravitz, who is co-chairing a host committee alongside designer Anthony Vaccarello at the 2026 Met Gala, arrived with her left hand hidden. She walked the carpet in a sheer black lace gown with exaggerated hips, but what grabbed our attention was that she kept her left hand tucked deep into her pocket, out of sight. That’s likely because earlier this month, rumours swirled that Kravitz is engaged to the pop superstar Harry Styles. 

Neither Kravitz nor Styles has confirmed the engagement. It’s unclear when Styles, 32, and Kravitz, 37, began dating, but images of the pair together began surfacing in August 2025, walking arm-in-arm in Rome. In the following months, the stylish couple were photographed holding hands in New York and Los Angeles.

Cara Delevingne graced the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a custom Ralph Lauren gown. The sheer, sultry design initially appeared to be a classic turtleneck bodycon gown from the front. 

However, when she turned around, she revealed a sheer back that featured 10,000 hand-embroidered crystals. Complementing the look was a stunning, pond-like circle train that added to the gown's ethereal quality.

Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue, coordinated beautifully with the Met Gala decor by wearing a striking green and teal gown from Chanel. She enhanced her look by adding a feathery shawl, which featured mint green feathers on the top and black feathers towards the bottom.

Nicole Kidman arrived with her daughter, Sunday Rose, 17, whom she shares with ex-husband Keith Urban. Sunday Rose made her starry debut in Jonathan Anderson’s pink Dior gown. Don't miss her statement earrings.

Nicole Kidman added a touch of glamour to the Met Gala red carpet with her stunning deep-red sequin gown by Chanel, which featured a feathered trim. She accessorised with an Omega Manhattan watch from 1982, crafted from 18-karat white and yellow gold and embellished with 34 diamonds on the bezel, 178 diamonds on the bracelet, and 12 more on the hour markers. 

In total, her watch showcased 224 diamonds, according to Vogue.

Tennis star and Met Gala co-chair Venus Williams arrived with her husband, Andrea Preti, at the starry event. She looked enchanting in a sparkling Swarovski crystal gown and accessorised her look with a statement necklace. Her look is inspired by a portrait of her by the artist Robert Pruitt.

On the other hand, her husband, Preti, looked dashing in a black suit.

A correspondent for Vogue’s livestream tonight, Emma Chamberlain, arrives in a custom Mugler by Miguel Castro Freitas — a creation hand-painted by Anna Deller-Yee. The ensemble is inspired by the famous 1997 La Chimère gown.

“There is sort of this watercolor feel, and I love watercolor painting,” she told Vogue. “But then also there’s a creepy, sort of ominous undertone to the gown, like the way that it moves. And that is very much my taste in art.”

A first glimpse of the atmosphere at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala, celebrating the opening of the “Costume Art” exhibition on Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York.

Designer Manish Malhotra confirmed that director Karan Johar will be making his debut at the MET Gala this year. Isha Ambani is also expected to attend the MET Gala 2026. The gala regular, Priyanka Chopra, is reported to give the event a miss. 


Read More: Priyanka Chopra To Skip Met Gala 2026 For Gold House Gala? 

After the carpet, guests enter the museum, check in (and get stickers placed over their phone cameras!) and walk past an enormous flower arrangement in the museum’s lobby. After hitting the receiving line, everyone heads either to cocktails or to the exhibit. Then to dinner. By the main course, most tardy guests have managed to arrive, but not all. Some even wait ’til dessert.

You must be rich, famous or powerful enough to be invited to the MET Gala. Individual tickets are $100,000, and a table of 10 starts at $350,000. There will be approximately 400 guests in all.


Also Read: What Happens Inside the Invite-only MET Gala?

The Met Gala started in 1948 as a Manhattan society midnight supper — held at various places like the Waldorf Astoria and the Rainbow Room. It took many years before it turned into a global event and one of the starriest nights of the year.

None other than Beyoncé, a familiar gala guest, is a co-chair, joined by Nicole Kidman, tennis champ Venus Williams and the one who runs it all, Vogue’s Anna Wintour. There’s also a “host committee” chaired by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz, and featuring names from Sabrina Carpenter and Teyana Taylor to Lena Dunham and Misty Copeland.

It’s a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the only self-funding department at the Met — and it’s a huge one. Last year the evening brought in a record sum of more than $31 million.

The Met Gala is held annually at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The red carpet entrance and celebrity arrivals take place on the museum's famous steps. The fundraising dinner party occurs inside the Costume Institute on Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street.

Also Read: Devil Wears Prada 2 Release Followed By MET Gala 2026, May Beckons Big Week For Fashion

The red carpet arrivals at the MET Gala will commence at 6 PM ET. For those in India, the gala event will begin at 3:30 am IST and can be streamed live on Vogue's YouTube Channel.