Met Gala 2026 Best Looks: Sam Smith, Sabrina Carpenter, Rosé, More
Sam Smith, Sabrina Carpenter and Rosé on the 2026 Met Gala carpet.
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Honoring the dress code of this year’s Met Gala, “Fashion is Art,” felt a bit lacking early in the evening. Stunning gowns and a few crisp men’s looks were on full display — but where was the art, exactly?
Soon after the carpet kicked into high gear, the blend of fashion and art — a request intended to celebrate the museum’s new exhibition, Costume Art, which opens to the public on Sunday, May 10 — began to reveal itself in myriad ways. Venus Williams explained to a red carpet reporter that her Swarovski gown and neckpiece were inspired by her own portrait, hanging in London’s National Gallery (now that’s clout), while Elizabeth Debicki indeed looked like one of the Grecian statues in the Met Museum exhibition, wearing a Greco-Roman draped gown by Vera Wang.
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With only a few exceptions, the art and history of handicraft in fashion enjoyed the spotlight, which is precisely the point of the museum’s Costume Institute. Some looks took their cue directly from paintings and sculpture — in Heidi Klum’s case that resulted in a full-on commitment, as she arrived fully covered in the look of a Raffaelle Monti 1847 Veiled Vestal sculpture, which she came up with after visiting the Metropolitan Museum and deciding exactly which piece of art she wanted to emulate, a detail that should surprise no one who knows the supermodel’s commitment to Halloween each year.
While other looks were more artful than art-inspired, ultimately, this was a carpet devoted to appreciating the beauty of fashion, in all its forms. Some may have looked like they stepped out of a painting, while others looked like they represented the passion of handwork in an atelier. Both are valid for an event that honors the incredibly rich history of the clothes we wear. With that in mind, The Hollywood Reporter selected 12 looks that covered the style spectrum.
Sam Smith in Christian Cowan
Sam Smith
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
You can always count on Sam Smith to be anything but shy with their red carpet style, which consistently makes them a Met Gala favorite. They did not disappoint with their look on Monday night, a custom design by Christian Cowan that included a cocoon coat embellished with more than 230,000 crystals and beads and required 800 hours of handcraft by 45 artisans. Add the feathers atop Sam’s head, and the inspiration quickly became clear: Erté, the artist and designer who dominated the Art Deco movement of the 1920s. Smith’s look indeed evoked thoughts of Erté’s famed illustrations, especially their headpiece, a collaboration between Cowan and famed milliner Stephen Jones. Smith and Cowan, who have been a couple since at least the 2024 Met Gala, attended together, with the designer wearing a beaded suit that complemented Smith’s look nicely. The Grammy winner finished their look with Cartier jewels.
Emma Chamberlain in Mugler
Emma Chamberlain
Matt Crossick/PA Images via Getty Images
An early arrival on the Met Gala steps, Emma Chamberlain set a beautiful tone in a Mugler handpainted gown, designed by creative director Miguel Castro Freitas, that resembled paint dripping onto a drop cloth, enhanced by the effect of pooling and smeared colors. Overall, the result was artful and, dare we say it, painterly. Chamberlain completed her look with Chopard jewels and Stuart Weitzman shoes.
Nicole Kidman in Chanel
Nicole Kidman
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In the week prior to the Met Gala, social media abounded with rumors that Kim Kardashian had rented Princess Diana’s famed “Revenge Dress,” designed by Christina Stambolian and worn in 1994. Spoiler: Kardashian wore a different look, but Nicole Kidman turning up as the lady in red immediately caused her look by Chanel to enjoy the same “revenge dress” moniker. Attending with her daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, who wore Dior, Kidman indeed looked fantastic in the crimson gown that was fully embroidered with sequins, handcraft that required more than 800 hours, and finished with a lush feathered peplum. The Oscar winner accessorized her gown with Chanel high jewelry, Chanel shoes and a vintage Omega timepiece.
Rosé in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello
Rosé
Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
In his spring 1988 haute-couture collection,