Model and influencer Emma Chamberlain attends the 2026 Met Gala on Monday in New York City.
Model and influencer Emma Chamberlain attends the 2026 Met Gala on Monday in New York City. (Mike Coppola | Getty Image)

On Monday night, extravagantly dressed celebrities and designers made their grand ascent up the Met Gala’s staircase, marking the start of fashion’s biggest night and raising money for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour are the 2026 Gala co-chairs. Lauren Sánchez Bezos is an honorary co-chair.

“Fashion is Art” is the dress code for this year’s Gala, and attendees are expected to follow it while viewing “Costume Art,” the Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition.

“Costume Art” opens to the public on May 10 in the Met’s new Condé Nast gallery spaces. It features century-spanning fashions on various body types, juxtaposed with art objects from the Met’s collections. Curator in Charge Andrew Bolton says the exhibition seeks to connect “artistic representations of the body with fashion as an embodied art form.”

Here are some of the red carpet outfits from the night:

Janelle Monáe attends the 2026 Met Gala.
Janelle Monáe attends the 2026 Met Gala. (Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Joshua Henry performs with backup dancers.
Joshua Henry performs with backup dancers. (Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Nicole Kidman (left), Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Anna Wintour attend the 2026 Met Gala.
Nicole Kidman (left), Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Anna Wintour attend the 2026 Met Gala. (Mike Coppola | Getty Images)
Co-chair Venus Williams arrives with her husband Andrea Preti.
Co-chair Venus Williams arrives with her husband Andrea Preti. (Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Model Aariana Rose Philip attends the 2026 Met Gala.
Model Aariana Rose Philip attends the 2026 Met Gala. (Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Model Ashley Graham attends the 2026 Met Gala.
Model Ashley Graham attends the 2026 Met Gala. (Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Actor Connor Storrie attends the 2026 Met Gala.
Actor Connor Storrie attends the 2026 Met Gala. (Jamie McCarthy | Getty Images)
Musician Jon Batiste attend the 2026 Met Gala. His wife, author Suleika Jaouad is seen on the left.
Musician Jon Batiste attend the 2026 Met Gala. His wife, author Suleika Jaouad is seen on the left. (Angela Weiss | AFP via Getty Images)
Writer and activist Sinéad Burke attends the 2026 Met Gala.
Writer and activist Sinéad Burke attends the 2026 Met Gala. (Julian Hamilton | Getty Images)
Sam Smith attends the 2026 Met Gala.
Sam Smith attends the 2026 Met Gala. (Jamie McCarthy | Getty Images)