THE 2026 Met Gala will center on “Costume Art,” the spring exhibition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
Organizers announced that this year’s official dress code is “Fashion Is Art,” aligning with the exhibition’s focus on the relationship between clothing and artistic expression.
“Costume Art” examines the “centrality of the dressed body” through depictions of the human form drawn from the museum’s collection.
Nearly 400 objects will be displayed in the newly opened Condé M. Nast Galleries near the Great Hall, pairing garments from the Costume Institute with paintings, sculptures, and works spanning approximately 5,000 years of art history.
The dress code invites attendees to interpret how designers use the body as a canvas, reinforcing the broader dialogue between fashion and art. (AYP)