Beyoncé, Bezos And Bold Fashion: Key Things To Know About 2026 Met Gala

Fashion’s most exclusive night returns on Monday, 4 May, as the Met Gala once again takes over New York, mixing celebrity, culture and couture.

This year’s theme, “Costume Art”, is expected to push boundaries, inviting guests to interpret the long-standing relationship between fashion and art in bold, imaginative ways.

The annual event, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, doubles as a major fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the museum’s only self-funded department. In 2025, the gala raised a record $31 million, underlining its status as one of the most lucrative nights in global fashion.

This year’s host lineup features global superstar Beyoncé as co-chair, alongside Nicole Kidman, tennis icon Venus Williams and long-time organiser Anna Wintour. A broader host committee led by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz includes high-profile names such as Sabrina Carpenter, Teyana Taylor, Lena Dunham and Misty Copeland.

However, much of the pre-event conversation has centred on billionaire sponsor Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who are backing the exhibition as honorary chairs. Their involvement has sparked protests from activist group Everyone Hates Elon, which criticised billionaire influence around the event.

The exhibition itself will feature around 200 garments displayed alongside artworks, tracing how fashion has drawn from artistic expression across centuries. Curator Andrew Bolton has also introduced a more inclusive approach, spotlighting underrepresented body types, including plus-sized and disabled forms, through newly designed mannequins created using digital body scans from real individuals such as disability activist Sinéad Burke and musician Yseult.

A major addition this year is the unveiling of the Condé Nast Galleries, a newly repurposed 12,000-square-foot exhibition space within the museum. The redesign allows for a smoother guest experience, with easier movement between the exhibition and the gala dinner held at the Temple of Dendur, while also improving public access when the exhibition opens on 10 May.

Notably absent this year will be New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has opted out of attending amid his affordability-focused agenda. Previous mayors, including Eric Adams, have used the event to make political statements on the red carpet.

Attendance remains strictly by invitation, reinforcing the gala’s exclusivity. Individual tickets cost $100,000, while tables begin at $350,000, with approximately 400 guests expected. The evening traditionally begins with the red carpet spectacle, followed by cocktails, private viewing of the exhibition and a formal dinner, though some guests are known to arrive late or leave early for exclusive after-parties.

Since its modest beginnings in 1948 as a Manhattan society supper, the Met Gala has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon, setting the tone for fashion and celebrity influence worldwide. This year’s edition promises another night of spectacle, statement and style.