On Monday night, May 4, New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will transform into one of the most iconic fashion runways, full of pop culture’s most beloved stars and fashion legends, for the annual Met Gala.
Vogue describes the Met Gala as a charity event and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which hosts a collection of over 33,000 fashion artifacts. The gala typically raises eight-figure sums, but Vogue reported that in 2025, the event raised around $31 million, the largest amount in the event’s 77-year history.
This year’s theme, which some say may be the most artistically ambitious yet, is “Costume Art.” Soon, Hollywood’s biggest stars and their big-name designers will turn out jaw-dropping looks highlighting the artistry of fashion and dress-making.
Here is everything you need to know about one of New York’s biggest fashion nights, including the dress code, who will be hosting and how to watch.
When is the 2026 Met Gala
The Met Gala is always held on the first Monday of May. This year, the event will be held on Monday, May 4.
What does the Met Gala’s theme mean?
“Costume Art,” the 2026 Met Gala theme, will coincide with the Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition and inaugurate the launch of the nearly 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries.
The “Costume Art” exhibition will pay homage to the intersection of fashion and history, and “will consider depictions of the dressed body from across the Met’s curatorial departments, pairing garments with art objects spanning some 5,000 years,” Vogue states.
According to Vogue, objects in the “Costume Art” exhibition will be split into a “series of thematic body types,” like the “Naked Body,” the “Classical Body,” the “Pregnant Body,” and the “Aging Body.”
The exhibition will be at The Met Fifth Avenue from May 10 through Jan. 10, 2027.
What is the dress code for Met Gala 2026?
This year’s dress code is “fashion is art.” Like the gala’s theme, “Costume Art,” which Vogue says explores the “centrality of the dressed body,” the vague dress code opens the door for attendees and designers to use the body as a blank canvas for art.
“What connects every curatorial department and what connects every single gallery in the museum is fashion, or the dressed body,” the Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton told Vogue. “It’s the common thread throughout the whole museum, which is really what the initial idea for the exhibition was.”
Who is hosting Met Gala 2026?
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and, of course, Anna Wintour will serve as co-chairs for the 2026 Met Gala.
According to Vogue, Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz will co-hair the Gala Host Committee, which will include Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Gwendoline Christie, Alex Consani, Misty Copeland, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Paloma Elsesser, LISA, Chloe Malle, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor, Lauren Wasser, Anna Weyant, A’ja Wilson, and Yseult.
Newly announced members include Adut Akech, Angela Bassett, Sinéad Burke, Rebecca Hall, Aimee Mullins, Tschabalala Self, Amy Sherald, and Chase Sui Wonders.
Where to watch Met Gala 2026 red carpet
The 2026 Met Gala livestream will be hosted exclusively by Vogue on its official website and across its various digital platforms, including YouTube and TikTok.
The broadcast, hosted by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony and Cara Delevingne, will begin at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, May 4.
Who was invited to the 2026 Met Gala?
According to Vogue, the gala usually hosts around 450 guests every year. The exclusive guest list, however, is kept secret until the event.
Stay tuned to see if your favorite stars attend and what they wear on New York’s biggest night in fashion.
See hottest looks from the 2025 Met Gala
Contributing: USA Today
— Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York state. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Met Gala 2026: Theme, hosts, how to watch NYC’s biggest fashion night
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
