This year’s “Fashion Is Art” theme offered much to discuss. These are the looks that captured everyone’s attention.
The Met Gala has always been the pinnacle of fashion, but in 2026, it might be its most online presence yet. This year’s dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” aligned with the museum’s new Costume Institute exhibition opening May 10, created a night where the line between garment and gallery piece vanished. Expect painterly gowns, sculptural silhouettes, and references that seem directly from museum walls. Sometimes reverent, sometimes chaotic.
As per 2026’s customs, every arrival was instantly dissected, memed, and debated on social media. This night is where couture becomes conversation; where a single outfit can generate a thousand hot takes; and where the group chat verdict (“wait… I kind of love it?”) is as significant as the designer tag.
Because truly, the most unforgettable looks aren’t always the best traditionally. They’re the ones you pause for mid-scroll. The ones that cause a double take, a screenshot, a frantic voice note. The “WTH is she wearing??” moment of it all, delivered with enough conviction to turn confusion into intrigue.
From optical illusions to high-drama art references and full-on character work, this year’s standouts embraced it all. These are the looks that dominated the timeline.
**Hudson Williams**
Fresh from being named a Balenciaga ambassador, Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams graced the Met Gala in a baby blue two-piece with a touch of theatricality — part matador, part provocateur. The jacket hung open, revealing a bare chest adorned with diamond jewelry, while a sweeping black cape added drama.
While some critiqued the tailoring, fans loved it, with the actor’s fan accounts adoring it, saying, “Will never get over him…”
He leaned into the look with bold winged eyeliner and washes of blue and red shadow, a nod to Black Swan enhancing the ensemble’s performance vibe.
**Chase Infiniti**
Hollywood rising star Chase Infiniti delivered an intricate illusion in a custom Thom Browne gown. The trompe-l’œil design referenced the Venus de Milo, turning classical sculpture into something fluid and red-carpet–ready, shimmering with more than 1.5 million sequins.
Online viewers called the look “stunning” and “gorgeous.” The gown was less a garment than a craftsmanship feat, making a powerful debut on fashion’s grandest stage.
**Jisoo from BLACKPINK**
Making her Met Gala debut, Jisoo stood out in a custom Dior gown by Jonathan Anderson that resembled an Impressionist painting. Someone on X complimented it as a “lovely Met debut.”
The gown’s soft pinks and lavender with delicate floral detailing evoked Claude Monet’s dreamy work. A Dior ambassador, Jisoo’s look felt like a continuation and a coronation.
**Lisa from BLACKPINK**
As a 2026 Met Gala host committee member, Lisa didn’t just follow the dress code — she creatively embodied it. Wearing a custom Robert Wun look, she delivered one of the night’s avant-garde moments: a sculptural gown with multiple 3D-printed arms holding her sheer veil.
The detail that fascinated social media? The arms were modeled after Lisa’s own, using 3D scans, blurring fashion and self-portrait, referencing traditional Thai dance positions, combining surreal with technical.
**Hunter Schafer**
Channeling a painting by Gustav Klimt, Hunter Schafer donned a jaw-dropping Prada gown. Complete with the painting’s hair bow and floral appliques, it had the internet captivated, revered as a white swan or a dream-come-true for a young girl.
**Luke Evans**
Luke Evans, known for portraying Frankenfurter in NYC’s Studio 54, wore a Palomo Spain all-leather outfit inspired by Tom of Finland, an iconic homoerotic art mind.
A fitting homage to the queer unity in Rocky Horror Show and the theme “fashion is art,” it was praised online.
**Kylie Jenner**
Kylie Jenner, solo this time, surprised onlookers in custom Schiaparelli, echoing the famous “Venus de Milo” statue. While some appreciated the art nod, others speculated on hidden advertising motives.
**Sabrina Carpenter**
The singer wore a gown inspired by the 1954 Audrey Hepburn film Sabrina, made of tulle and film strips. It was a custom Dior, and when zoomed in, it revealed Sabrina stars Humphrey Bogart and William Holden.
Some enthusiastically acknowledged her cinephile persona, while others felt Carpenter fatigue.
**Emma Chamberlain**
Arriving at the Met Gala like a watercolor painting, YouTuber-turned-entrepreneur Emma Chamberlain wowed in a custom Mugler by Miguel Castro Freitas. It adhered perfectly to “Fashion is Art.”
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