The Met Gala is one of the biggest nights in fashion every year. Let’s take a look at what this year’s top five male and female best outfits were, according to us, and if everyone followed this year’s theme: “Fashion is Art.”
What is the Met Gala?
Established in 1948 by fashion publicists Eleanor Lambert, the Met Gala, known as the “Fashion’s biggest night,” is a fundraising, invitation only event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, taking place May 4th of this year. Each and every year there is a unique theme; only the best, top-tier celebrities, designers, and socialites from around the world are invited. Anna Wintour, the most famous British-American journalist and fashion icon who has been Editor-in-Chief of Vogue since 1988, is the one who personally hosts and invites guests, such as super wealthy designers, including Marc Jacobs, Christian Siriano, Michael Kors, and many more. If not invited, a single ticket can cost up to $100,000. The theme for this year’s Met Gala is “Fashion is Art” and celebrities will try to match the theme, while others don’t follow the rules. The Met Gala is important to people because this is the night we study and judge what outfits celebrities are choosing to wear. Many love to watch the televised portion of the evening, the red carpet, because they enjoy seeing the art of fashion and how fashion is art of any kind. Let’s check out these famous celebrities and what they had to give.
1. Beyonce
After being gone for almost a decade, Beyonce returned to the Met Gala and one thing that she will always do is look good. This year, she didn’t come to play. She is wearing Olivier Rousteing, a crystal-embellished skeleton- inspired gown that was influenced by Louisiana Creole artist Caroline Durieux’s 1944 painting, “Visitor,” to symbolize the beauty of mortality and celebrate Black/Creole heritage. Beyonce ranked #1 for us: she grabbed everyone’s attention, including ours, after not being present for this event for a hot minute. She also made this rare appearance with her daughter.
2. Rihanna
Rihanna is wearing a custom Maison Margiela by Glenn Martens. She was inspired by medieval Belgian architecture and the painting of Flemish primitives. The corseted bodice, with over 115,000 crystal beads, reflected an industrial, art-deco. She really focused on the theme of this year and made a grand entrance with her partner, A$AP Rocky, who also dressed on theme. We ranked Rihanna second best dressed because of the material of her dress; it really stood out with the silver and the jewelry added on. She is always looking stunning.
3. Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain is wearing a custom Mugler gown. She wanted to give Impressionist and Expressionist art, specifically the vibrant blue and gold palettes of Vincent Van Gogh and Edvard Much. The dress was designed by Miguel Castro Freitas and hand-painted by artist Anna Deller-Yee for over 40 hours to evoke thick, visible brushstrokes. Her pose and her makeup (knowing she looks good) also definitely fits the theme. She was, by far, the most talked about on social media, and many thought she was the best dressed this year. Emma placed third on our top five list; it looks like she came out of a painting, and her sleeves look like they are almost melting. The look, overall, is very satisfying, and we couldn’t take our eyes off of her.
4. Anok Yai
(Google)
Anok Yai was inspired by the “Master Dolorosa” (Mother of Sorrows), a religious, artistic depiction of the Virgin Mary, representing deep grief and maternal sacrifice. The look was designed by Balenciaga. She is wearing a black, taffeta gown, designed to evoke emotional art, often referred to as “weeping Madonna” imagery. Not only is she already beautiful, her makeup is next level. She added fake tear drops and painted herself gold to portray herself as a statue. You can instantly feel the intense emotion with this gown. Anok was our #4 choice because, even though her outfit was very simple, it’s all about the makeup, and her beauty out-stands it all, grabbing our attention with her gold reflection.
5. Chase Infiniti
Chase Infiniti’s debut outfit was by Thom Browne. She wanted to look like The ancient Greek statue, “The Venus de Milo.” The look was a gown featuring over 1.5 million sequins and 600+ colors, designed to look like a colorful, painted statue. She wanted to look like the “Illusion dressing” concept with a tasteful, artistic representation of the naked body. Chase, taking our final spot on our top five list, has a look that is like a very beautiful piece of art. She wanted to represent the female body without shame. Her hair was super big, natural, and curly; it added more character and softness to her dress, which we love.
Top 5 Best Dressed Males
1. A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky’s outfit was inspired by Harlem elegance and “ghetto fabulous” style, incorporating elements from traditional winter Marmont jackets. He is wearing Chanel, and this look featured a wool pink robe with a camelia, reflecting a mix of personal style and local Harlem influence. A$AP got our #1 choice by adding a pop of color to his outfit. The long, pink robe with his jewelry adds creativity to him and, overall, his confidence is on point. A$AP is never scared to be out there; he takes risks that many celebrities avoid.
2. Jeremy Pope
Jeremy Pope’s outfit was designed by Archival Vivienne Westwood (Fall 1996), featuring a “Martyr to Love”, with a corset jacket designed by Mr. Pearl. Styled by Law Roach, the outfit had thousands of hand-sewn pearls mapping muscles on silk, honoring his bodybuilder father and exploring the intersection of art, memory, and sexuality. The gold, legendary piece and design explores queer history and the contradiction between intense fashion and the wearer. Jeremy earned our second place vote, as he gained much attention from the media because of his corset jacket of the human chest. You can tell all the detail that was added to this design; he’s definitely not hard to miss.
3. Colman Domingo
Colman is wearing Valentino, designed by Alessandro Michele and inspired by artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, specifically referencing his 1984 painting “Pex Dispenser.” The look featured a checkered jacket and diamond patterns, and the jewelry was from Boucheron, honoring Black artistry. The look required over 400 hours of manual labor to create. With the amount of hours put into this look, Coleman was third on our top five list. The checkered effect of his jacket and the amount of bold color used really reminds us of a painting. It was definitely worth seeing on the carpet.
4. Connor Storrie
Connor Storrie’s look was inspired by a blend of 70’s rock star glamour, channeling Mick Jagger, mixed with the ethereal, “Lived-in” aesthetic of Greek Gods, like Apollo and Antinous. Styled by James Yardley in custom Saint Laurent, Storrie’s ensemble featured a polka-dot, silk halter top and tailored trousers, embodying a “Sexy Sartorial Rhythm.” Conner, our #4 pick, wanted to look elegant with a touch of edginess, which is what he gave. It’s very simple but, still, everything put together looks beautiful.
5. John Imah
John Imah is wearing custom Charles Harbison and was inspired by “Costume Art,” blending technology with fashion. The outfit, which featured a gold-encrusted, circuity-inspired vest and a robotic glove, aimed to represent the intersection of humanity, artificial intelligence, and living history in a “vanilla” palette. Treating the body as a “Living Archive,” John made our top five because the gold vest and “Constellation tuxedo” really did something. We love how it’s not boring and we can tell he wanted this outfit to be symbolic.
Conclusion:
Overall, the Met Gala this year was a successful event, becoming more than just celebrities wearing these mind-blowing outfits. The focus on fashion, art, culture, and entertainment set social media into a frenzy. While some looks became iconic and others sparked debate, the Met Gala will always continue to be one of the most influential nights in fashion.
References:
Nast, C. (n.d.). Met gala 2026: Celebrities, red carpet, theme & more. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/tag/event/met-gala
Every celebrity red-carpet look at the 2026 met gala. (n.d.). https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/red-carpet-dresses/a71204913/every-look-red-carpet-photos-met-gala-2026/
