Thoughts on the Met Gala 2026 Theme...

When they announce the Met Gala theme usually a pit forms in my stomach of impending doom for the looks that may appear on the carpet…

I didn’t get that today, in fact, the second I read Vogue’s announcement that “The Met Costume Institute theme is… Costume Art,”my mind immediately spiralled into an exhaustive list of how this could be interpreted, what the exhibition will be like, and what the dress code will be!!!

Thinking at a million miles a second trying to deep dive into my archival knowledge all within a single minute - to cut it short, my brain almost exploded and fashion facts almost spewed out everywhere.

Thankfully I held it together, purely because I was at work. Just about managing to contain my excitement so I could debrief the theme announcement and its prospects properly here with you all.

Costume Art:

This theme fills my fashion heart with hope, and hearing the press release from the Met Museum itself did wonders for enhancing my excitement! According to a joint Instagram post from The Met Costume Institute and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the 2026 Met Gala’s “Costume Art” theme is aiming to "celebrate fashion as an art form."

LOVE! It is about time fashion got the true representation it requires because designers should be considered artists, and in my head they always have been - sometimes more so than a traditional artist. (Don’t come for me.)

I’m all over the place currently thinking about what the iconic stair design will be: a stripe? an abstract pattern? a single, striking colour block? As for the exhibition itself, I can only imagine the beautiful costumes they are going to obtain to display for the attendees! If only I lived in New York - I’d be first in line after opening night trying to get a sneak peek.

The Exhibition:

From The Met Museum and The Met Costume Institute's collaborative Instagram post, they revealed the annual exhibition will be:

"Focusing primarily on Western art from prehistory to the present” and will “explore artistic representations of the dressed body, pairing fashions and artworks from the Museum’s vast collection to highlight the inherent relationship between clothing and the body.” 

I love the history behind the theme and how they are digging deep into how clothing has shaped the image of the body across history, from history sexualising women, to  continuously changing body standards and the impact of clothing with it. 

So basically what I’m sensing is someone is bound to show up dressed almost naked, and others will be dressed head to toe in the most outrageous clothing to “make a point,” which will most likely lead to them being labelled as the 2026 laughing stock.

From a press release about the exhibition the institute revealed: 

“Costume Art will be organized into a series of thematic body types that reflect their ubiquity and endurance through time and space. These comparisons will highlight the inextricable relationship between clothing and the body and reveal that artistic representations of the body are shaped by the garments that clothe them and that the garments, in turn, are shaped by the bodies which they clothe."

I love that last quote - that the body is shaped by the garments that clothe it and the garments equally are shaped by the bodies that they clothe! It truly is our bodies that give garments life, and this should be appreciated! What a poetic emphasis to the theme - could this possibly be an easter egg that the dress code is linked to literature or am I going crazy?!?!

The Dress Code:

It is a pity they don’t reveal the dress code until a few months after the theme reveal, because if I were a high-end designer or stylist and heard this theme I would be overwhelmed at how vast the options are - yet equally ecstatic and unable to sleep tonight out of an everlasting flow of ideas.

I audibly gasped

When the dress code does get announced, I’m hoping it in some way relates to cinema, because imagine the plethora of costumes to choose from when digging into the archives! The potential for designers to interpret a classic film costume… or create something entirely unique -  a costume of their own making.

What I genuinely do not want to see is a parade of identical ideas, a string of unoriginal thoughts if you will -  like Zendaya this year, who somehow managed to show up in the exact same outfit as Anna Sawai. Shocker. How did Law Roach not catch that?

Link to my Met predictions:

Jacob as Frankensteins Monster

Now although my predictions weren’t entirely accurate, I still hold hope for following years' themes because the concept of “Meet your Muse” is insanely good (not to big myself up) and I must see it happen at some point! 

However as far as the dress code goes this year because The Gothic would be an insane link to the Costume Art theme! And it would work beautifully - so many Gothic movies to choose from. Imagine Jacob Elordi as himself in Frankenstein (2025) as the Creature, or again in Wuthering Heights (2026) as Heathcliff… both Gothic classics!

Kris, Kim, Kendall & Kylie

Another costume idea that could definitely be coming is Kim Kardashian going big - as per usual. Perhaps leaning into that “garments shaped by the body” ideology with something slinky, sculptural, and inevitable. Or maybe she comes as some kind of Greek statue.

I can wholly see Kim covered in plaster (Tyla 2023 behaviour). Perhaps it could be a family affair with the Kardashian clan as the Greek caryatid sisters. I’m thinking: Kim, Kendall, Kylie, and Kris with her new face.

Save the Date:

The Met Gala, as per usual, is held on the first Monday in May - which in 2026 means Monday 4th May. Put it in your calendars, make a mental note, write it on a Post-it, or wait and see whether the dress code is a hit before committing it to memory.

this photo gives me life

The entire ordeal is, of course, chaired by none other than Anna Wintour, as it has been since 1995. The 2026 co-chairs have yet to be announced but will be revealed “in the coming months, along with members of the Gala Host Committee.” Thank god, because the 2025 co-chairs were surreal! Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky!!! And so many more - praying for another elite selection in 2026.

To my dismay, along with the announcement of the theme they also revealed that the exhibition itself is largely funded by Jeff Bezos & co. Of all people. Please give some money to the homeless or fix world hunger Jeff but don’t strut around American Museums for a free invite. That is so tacky. 

As for me I’m manifesting an invite from Anna Wintour herself - I’m hoping she can feel the telepathic frequency I’m currently sending her. While on her frequency I’ll add in a request for The Gothic dress code, until then...

With love,

Mimi x