Fashion is art: Met Gala 2026
- Zadie Kang
- May 14
- 3 min read
For fashion enthusiasts, their Superbowl was this Wednesday at this year’s Met Gala. Every year we get to see our favorite stars on the red carpet at “Fashion’s Biggest Night”. This year the theme was Costume Art, challenging designers to combine experimental elements of clothing and the physical body. As a long-time Met Gala expert (over a decade of watching the red carpet from my bed), I can confidently say that this year was extremely underwhelming. Were the invites sent out a week before or..? Despite how bland it was, there were a few standouts, so here’s what worked and what didn’t, from the eyes of an expert.
Emma Chamberlain, Mugler
I had to start out with this one because it is just so fantastic I can’t stop talking about it. The dress is hand-painted, paying homage to physical media and the paintings of Van Gogh and Edvard Much (also her father, a painter himself). There’s something about the texture of the fabric and the vibrance of the color that makes you feel like this beautiful experience is unfolding right in front of your eyes. There’s so much depth, the paint still feels raw on the dress as it slowly ascends into a more flowing almost life-like form, bridging the gap between the two mediums.
Hunter Schaefer, Prada
Inspired by Gustav Klint’s “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”, Hunter Schaefer absolutely stunned in Prada’s reimagination of the painting. The ripping shreds of her dress show the passage of time, almost blurring the lines between real and imagined, occurring as the doll sits in the attic. I loved these more literal interpretations of art pieces that also wove in a separate unique perspective. Compared to Rachel Zegler’s look, which aimed to mirror “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey”, it’s an incredibly powerful painting. I certainly didn’t dislike anything about her dress, but it lacked any type of new life, versus the kind that was seen in Schaefer’s look.
SZA, Bode
If you aren’t familiar with Bode, they’re a luxury brand with an emphasis on applying historical techniques in all of their craft. I think it’s so special that SZA decided to wear them. Their sustainable practices and their historical roots make them stand out from a vast majority of the designers currently dominating the industry. SZA’s dress in specific was made out of hundreds of yards of upcycled fabric. My personal favorite part was her headpiece, the show stopper in my opinion. The design was actually inspired by a popular pre-war design collective, the Vienna Workshop, which combined both historical and contemporary elements of inspiration. All together the rich history and beautiful craftsmanship came together to create something that was unforgettable.
Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra
Making history as the first Indian filmmaker to walk the red carpet, he absolutely killed it in a hand-painted 3D tribute to Raja Ravi Varma. It’s no secret that menswear looks are famously underwhelming, but Johar really put on display how versatile and beautiful they can be. It required a team of artisans who spent over 5,600 days bringing this vision to life, and their labor of love is apparent in the attention to detail and quality of the work. The wings almost resemble an actual canvas and the texture of the oils and pigments shine upon closer examination. I think this was a truly magical testament to the versatility of the craft of clothing, putting on full display just how powerful these interwoven techniques are when merged.
Hailey Bieber, Saint Laurent and Belperron
To be completely honest I didn’t feel like wasting my time talking about all of the incredible dull looks on the carpet this year so I just chose to single out one. Hailey Bieber’s look seemed like it’d be beautiful for just about any event BUT the Met Gala. It was unbearably uninspired, echoing the various other looks that were pretty, but not anywhere on the level you need to be to show up to the Met. I’d go so far as to say it’s a waste of a spot that could’ve gone to an individual or to a designer who would’ve been dedicated to taking risks or innovating through the opportunity.
La La Anthony, Wiederhoeft
I thought this was a beautiful example of a look that showed equal parts, restraint and beautiful craftsmanship. The dress was focused around celebrating embroidery, however it in no way lacked nuance, it felt almost living in the dimension and life that the beading brought. It wasn’t extravagant in Met Gala terms, however it still felt relevant and above all, highlighted the intricacies of the often overlooked parts of fashion, spotlighting the love that goes into embroidery and the stories it can tell.
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