It’s that time of year when the fashion industry starts gearing up for a night of pure spectacle - the Met Gala. Writers remain glued to their desks while social media critics fervently dissect each celebrity look that ascends those famous steps in real time.
Taking place on Monday 4 May, the 2026 Met Gala will honour the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s spring exhibition, titled Costume Art. The theme navigates the concept of the “dressed body” according to curator Andrew Bolton, who continued to say: “...The dressed body is front and centre in every gallery you come across. Even the nude is never naked. It’s always inscribed with cultural values and ideas.”
Read on to discover all you need to know about the 2026 Met Gala below.
When is the Met Gala 2026?
The celebrity-studded bash will take place on May 4, the first Monday in May, as per usual. Funded by Jeff and Lauren Bezos (an ongoing point of contention in the industry), Saint Laurent and Condé Nast, the exhibition Costume Art will run from 10 May 2026 to 10 January 2027 following the gala evening.
© Getty ImagesWhat is the theme of the Met Gala 2026?
The theme of this year’s Met Gala is Costume Art, which examines the symbiotic relationship between fashion and art. The question of whether fashion is art has long divided the style set, with Anna Wintour herself positing that the two are different mediums (“Fashion does not exist in a vacuum”) and Karl Lagerfeld declaring: “Art is art, fashion is fashion.”
Featuring approximately 400 objects from The Met’s vast collection, the Costume Art exhibition will serve as a melting pot of artefacts, from ancient Greek vases to archival punk Vivienne Westwood pieces, sculptural Henry Moore designs and avant-garde Comme Des Garçons ensembles - all seeking to ask the viewer whether they think art and fashion are one and the same.
© Guy MarineauWho are the co-chairs of the Met Gala 2026?
Brace yourself, because this is quite the lineup. This year’s Met Gala hosts include Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour. Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz will co-chair the 2026 Met Gala Host Committee, which also features stars such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Gwendoline Christie, Alex Consani, Misty Copeland, Paloma Elsesser, LISA, Chloe Malle and Teyana Taylor.
How can I watch the Met Gala in the UK?
The Met Gala livestream is set to be hosted exclusively by Vogue and broadcast live across its digital platforms, including YouTube and TikTok, from 11pm GMT (UK-based viewers, prepare for an all-nighter.) Former Met host and YouTuber-turned-muse Emma Chamberlain is set to reprise her role as red carpet correspondent for the night, while fellow hosts Ashley Graham, La La Anthony and Cara Delevingne will be guiding viewers through the looks all night.
