The 2026 Met Gala has come to an end, and the stars really showed out on the red carpet (which was not actually red). Before we put fashion’s biggest behind us and start speculating on next year’s theme, let’s take a look at some of the best outfits worn on Monday (May 4).
Helmed by co-chairs Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Anna Wintour and Beyoncé—who made her first appearance at the annual event in 10 years—the 2026 Met Gala was all about the intersection of fashion and art, embodying the Met’s Costume Institute’s spring exhibition “Costume Art” and its celebration of diverse bodies.
“Pairings between fashions and artworks will present a spectrum of connections and experiences: from the formal to the conceptual, the aesthetic to the political, the individual to the universal, the illustrative to the symbolic, and the playful to the profound,” reads a description of the exhibit on the Met’s website.
To complement the exhibit, this year’s Met Gala dress code was “Fashion Is Art,” a theme that left much room for interpretation. And interpret the stars did. With such an open-ended concept to play with, attendees experimented with color, texture, references, inspiration and more. No two looks were the same, unlike in previous years. Although not every look was memorable, there were certainly some red carpet showstoppers worth writing home about. In particular, 10 looks sported by musicians caught Billboard’s attention more than others. (Though many other artists wore incredible looks, too, which you can check out here.)
From SZA’s upcycled couture to Bad Bunny’s senior citizen cosplay to Beyoncé’s show-stopping grand return to the Met Gala, here are Billboard’s top 2026 Met Gala looks.
-
Lisa
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Lisa at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
SZA
Image Credit: Michael Buckner SZA at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Sam Smith
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Sam Smith at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Sabrina Carpenter
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Sabrina Carpenter at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Janelle Monáe
Image Credit: Getty Images Janelle Monáe attends the 2026 Met Gala celebrating “Costume Art” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York City.
-
Doechii
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Doechii at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Gracie Abrams
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Gracie Abrams at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Madonna
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Madonna at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Beyoncé
Image Credit: Michael Buckner Beyoncé at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
-
Bad Bunny
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Bad Bunny at The 2026 Met Gala Celebrating “Costume Art” held at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York, New York.
Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox
Sign Up
