Every year, on the first Monday of May, fashion’s biggest night is held at one of the world’s most iconic art museums.
The Met Gala is an invitation-only fundraiser event hosted by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tickets cost around $100,000 per person, and the proceeds go to the museum’s Costume Institute. It’s a night for the biggest names in fashion and A-list celebrities to show off their money and sometimes their impressive style. The Met Gala is given a theme every year based on the museum’s Costume Institute spring exhibition.
This year, the exhibition was “Costume Art,” and this created the dress code of “Fashion is Art”. Representing the idea that fashion is an art form in itself. Over the years, the Met Gala has had some discourse, with people stating that it’s a ”tone-deaf display of billionaire entitlement”. Because of this, some celebs who are invited refuse to go to the event because of their stance on the idea. But even with all the talk, it’s a tradition that will keep the good and ugly parts of fashion alive.
Some outfits will be remembered for being perfectly on theme and unforgettably amazing. Some will be forgotten because let’s face it, if you’re lucky enough to go to the Met Gala, you should not dress like it’s your senior prom. This year was an even amount of both the good and the bad. Multiple names have been thrown around for the best look of the night, but one name has been spoken the most: Emma Chamberlain. Wearing a custom Mugler gown hand-painted by artist Anna Deller-Yee, she left everyone speechless. Sabrina Carpenter wore a dress made of real camera film, and Janelle Monae wore a dress made of moss and wires. Nothing is ever too crazy for the Met Gala.
Once guests have their time on the carpet, they are taken inside to enjoy the exhibition, an extremely fancy dinner, and a surprise performance. Sabrina Carpenter and Stevie Nicks took the stage and performed Landslide and Espresso.
And to end the night, it’s what everyone is really there for: the after-party. After it’s all over, it’s time for the internet to take all the looks and judge fiercely. Met Gala 2026 is officially wrapped, and I theorize some are already planning for next year.
