I knew the 2026 Met Gala red carpet best-dressed list would be a challenge to narrow down. It's partially the guest list's fault: The only other time names like Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Zoë Kravitz are in the same room, it's the Oscars or the Grammys—and those carpets don't host nearly as many VIPs at once. But the real culprit in making my job as Marie Claire's senior fashion editor a tough one is the 2026 Met Gala dress code.
To correspond with this year's Costume Institute exhibit, "Costume Art," the co-chairs asked guests to consider "Fashion Is Art" their guiding styling principle. This guaranteed a Met Gala red carpet best-dressed list full of artistry and exquisite detail—but definitely not a universal interpretation of the evening's defining theme. Some guests focused on the exhibit's emphasis on celebrating the ties between the anatomical human form and art (hello, Beyonce's subversive naked dress); others tapped their favorite designers for stroke-for-stroke recreations of pieces first created on a painting's canvas. Sabrina Carpenter abandoned paintings and sculptures entirely, instead putting her spin on Old Hollywood with a Dior dress literally crafted from film. Then there's Rihanna: the latest Met Gala red carpet entry who shut down the event in a Maison Margiela gown so gilded, it would make Gustav Klimt's "Woman in Gold" jealous.
