1 / 12Art Meets Fashion: The 2026 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art followed the dress code “Fashion Is Art,” linked to the Costume Institute exhibition “Costume Art,” which pairs about 200 artworks with garments to examine connections across centuries. Guests used the red carpet as a presentation space, translating references from painting, sculpture, and performance into clothing that foregrounded the dressed body.
2 / 12Isha Spotlight: Isha Ambani wore a Gaurav Gupta x Swadesh creation styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, presenting a sculptural couture look built through collaboration. The outfit aligned with the theme by treating the garment as an artwork, combining structured design with Indian craft references and positioning authorship across the designer, stylist, and atelier.
3 / 12Johar Debut: Karan Johar attended his first Met Gala in a Manish Malhotra ensemble styled by Eka Lakhani. The look referenced the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, translating classical Indian portraiture into textile form and silhouette, and framing couture as a medium to reinterpret historical visual culture on a global stage.
4 / 12Natasha Feature: Natasha Poonawalla wore a sculptural white Phalaenopsis orchid by Marc Quinn, styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania. The piece was designed to be completed on the body through movement, symbolising rebirth and universality, and structured like ceremonial armour, turning the wearer into part of a live installation.
5 / 12Birla Concept: Ananya Birla appeared in a collaboration between Subodh Gupta and Robert Wun, styled by Rhea Kapoor. The look incorporated stainless steel elements inspired by Indian household utensils into an armour-like form, paired with a tailored silhouette, presenting a narrative of identity, transformation, and material reinterpretation within couture.
(Photo Credit : Instagram/vogueindia)
6 / 12Royal Craft: Gauravi Kumari and Sawai Padmanabh Singh wore custom Prabal Gurung ensembles rooted in heritage. Kumari referenced Gayatri Devi through chiffon and pearls with a Jaipur-inspired palette, while Singh’s Phulghar coat was constructed over 600 hours using aari and zardozi embroidery by Jaipur-based artisans.
7 / 12Reddy Statement: Sudha Reddy wore “The Tree of Life,” designed by Manish Malhotra with stylist Mariel Haenn. The look drew from Kalamkari, a 3,000-year-old textile tradition, incorporating narrative motifs into sculptural couture. It was paired with jewellery, including a 550-carat tanzanite pendant, along with diamond and emerald pieces from her collection.
8 / 12Beyoncé Presence: Beyoncé wore a sculptural dress by Olivier Rousteing featuring a feathered train and diamond crown. She appeared with Jay-Z and Blue Ivy Carter, presenting a coordinated red-carpet moment that combined couture design with performance and family staging.
9 / 12Osaka Reveal: Naomi Osaka wore a Robert Wun ensemble with exaggerated shoulders and red detailing, referencing a similar design featured in the Costume Institute exhibit. During the appearance, she revealed a second look underneath, a red beaded gown, using transformation to align with the theme of the dressed body.
10 / 12Chamberlain Paint: Emma Chamberlain appeared in a Mugler design by Miguel Castro Freitas featuring a hand-painted surface extending across the garment. The dress translated painting techniques into couture, positioning the outfit itself as a canvas and directly reflecting the “Fashion Is Art” directive through material execution.
11 / 12Wintour Choice: Anna Wintour wore a mint-toned Chanel ensemble by Matthieu Blazy, featuring a beaded dress and feathered cape. As co-chair, she maintained her established styling while aligning with the theme through material detail and subtle artistic reference rather than overt transformation.
12 / 12Rihanna Finale: Rihanna arrived among the final guests in a metallic cocoon-like design alongside A$AP Rocky. The look presented a sculptural form that emphasised enclosure and emergence, concluding the evening with a statement aligned to the exhibition’s focus on the body as structure and artistic medium.
