As Nicole Kidman says in her viral promo for AMC Theaters, we come to this place for magic. Instead of the movie theater on my corner, the magical place in question is the 2026 Met Gala. The Oscar-winning actress just hit the red carpet at the star-studded event, and all I have to say is, wow.
Kidman is serving as a Co-Chair of this year’s Gala (alongside Beyoncé, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour), so she arrived ahead of many of her buzzy, A-lister friends. She did arrive with one very special guest, though—her daughter, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban. I love a mother-daughter date night!
The Moulin Rouge actress's gown, a custom creation by Chanel, paid homage to the open-ended "Fashion is Art" dress code. Featuring a fully sequined fish and dramatic feathered accents, it's a stunning take on monochrome dressing. Kidman no doubt teamed up with longtime stylist Jason Bolden to bring the look to life. Her model daughter, on the other hand, opted for an equally maximalist purple look by Dior for her debut Met Gala.
Kidman, an OMEGA brand ambassador, accessorized her gown with a sleek, archival Constellation “Manhattan” Jewelry watch from the brand. Designed in 1982, the stunning timepiece comes straight from the OMEGA museum and features more than 200 diamonds throughout the design.
As for her beauty look, Kidman stayed true to her signature glam, making a U-turn from last year’s bold pixie cut. This time around, her blonde tresses (and her new signature bangs!) were styled straight by stylist Adir Abergel. Her makeup, on the other hand, included lit-from-within skin and clean girl-inspired makeup courtesy of makeup artist Gucci Westman.
Even her manicure had its own moment, with ultra-fine almond-shaped nails dipped in a shimmery, perlescent off-white polish. The look was crafted for her by nail artist Thuy Nguyen.
The theme, as Vogue reported back in November, is “Costume Art,” and celebrates the art exhibition of the same name—the first exhibition in the Costume Institute’s first permanent galleries at the iconic museum. The correlating dress code is "Fashion is Art."
Kidman is a Met Gala veteran at this point in her storied career. What makes her a best-dressed contender every time is her ability to pay homage to each year's theme and dress code without wearing something that feels too on-the-nose.
Case in point: The Babygirl actress appeared on the 2023 Met Gala red carpet in a pale pink feathered creation from Chanel. The theme that year was "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty." In celebration of the legendary designer and her history with the brand, Kidman chose to wear a Lagerfeld-era gown from 2004, which she had already worn in a now-iconic advertisement for Chanel No. 5 perfume. It was a touching tribute that has stood out in the minds of fashion fans ever since.
Two years later, Kidman teamed her aforementioned out-there pixie cut with an otherwise simple, black Balenciaga gown on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet. Dainty bows adorned the drop-waisted bodice, which gave way to a tea-length skirt. It took a pared-down approach to the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” theme.
Off the red carpet, Kidman has stuck to a monochromatic Chanel vibe. Just last month, she donned a monochromatic sweater set from Chanel ahead of Matthieu Blazy's debut Cruise collection runway show in Biarritz, France.
The very next day, she swapped the mushroom-gray knit set for all-black, in a sleek backless midi dress and matching pointed-toe heels. The look was cool, sleek, and a little witchy—no doubt a reference to her role in the forthcoming Practical Magic sequel that is set to hit theaters in October.
