Throughout the year, a few red carpets grab our attention, but there’s only one that we’ll be talking about for days. Of course, we’re talking about the Met Gala. Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Met Gala is the most exciting day on the fashion calendar and never fails to make everyone embrace their inner fashion critic.
The theme is different each year, and changes according to the museum’s spring exhibition. The Met Gala red carpet is an opportunity for designers and attendees to take real chances with their fashion, creating true show-stoppers that get everyone talking. When it comes to the Met Gala, bigger is always better.
Ahead, we answer all your questions about this year’s celebration, including what this year’s theme is (and what it means for fashion), as well as where to see it and who will be attending.
When is the 2026 Met Gala?
The Met Gala always takes place on the first Monday in May, which is May 4 this year. The red carpet arrivals will likely begin around 6pm ET.
What is the 2026 Met Gala theme?
The 2026 Met Gala theme generally aligns with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s spring exhibition for that year. That exhibition was announced as “Costume Art” on Monday, November 17, 2025. Described by the museum as “the centrality of the decorated body in the museum’s vast collection”, guests are expected to wear haute couture creations inspired by the theme. The dress code is slightly different, described as “fashion is art”.
The exhibition about the dressed body is meant to show the importance of the body, and how it cannot be separated from the clothes we wear. There are different themes, including nude body, classical body, pregnant body and aging body. We predict that some fashion houses will learn from these characteristics when prepping their talent for the 2026 Met Gala as well. We can see interesting silhouettes and bold moves.
“What connects every curatorial department and what connects every single gallery in the museum is fashion, or the clad body,” Andrew Bolton told Vogue About the topic. “This is a common theme throughout the museum, which was actually the initial idea for the exhibit.”
Who hosts the Met Gala?
Since 1995, the Met Gala has been hosted by editor-in-chief Anna Wintour American Vogue and global editorial director of Condé Nast. This year, he has named Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Beyoncé as co-chairs for the event, while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos have been named as honorary chairs. This means they will officially welcome attendees to The Met on May 5.
Who is attending the 2026 Met Gala?
according to circulationThe Met Gala is typically attended by around 450 people, including the world’s biggest celebrities and many influential figures, such as politicians and people from the tech and creative industries.
Red carpet guest lists are usually kept top secret, and 2026 is no different. However, there are some celebrities who almost always appear at the Met Gala, including Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Zendaya, and Rihanna. Some of our predictions for 2026? Blackpink’s Lisa, Super Bowl halftime artist Bad Bunny, Hailey Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo and Ariana Grande.
How can I watch the Met Gala red carpet?
Although specific details about how to watch the Met Gala red carpet in 2026 have not yet been released, it is generally easiest to watch circulation‘s digital channel. Last year, the carpet was live-streamed circulation websiteAnd on the brand’s Instagram, TikTok and X pages.
For a curated view of the red carpet, you can also visit the Refinery29 homepage InstagramBecause we’ll be posting the best looks of the day live.
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