At Marie Claire, we’ve been thinking about 2026 Met Gala live fashion updates—and our eventual best-dressed list—for months ahead of the first Monday in May. It’s been top of mind since the 2026 Costume Institute theme ("Costume Art") and dress code ("Fashion Is Art") were announced—invitations for this year’s A-lists guest to explore the relationship between bodies and the fashion they display, in visual art and on the Met Gala red carpet.
Every Met Gala registers to Marie Claire’s expert editors as a Fashion Olympics, but with directives like this—and co-chairs including Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams—the May 4, 2026, installment was instantly bound to deliver more looks that will live rent-free in our heads for years.
