The Countdown to the 2026 Met Gala Is On—So Study the Theme, Hosts, and More

It's the most wonderful time of the year (for fashion girls): the unveiling of the 2026 Met Gala theme.

Last year's theme, in all it's "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" glory, will certainly be hard to beat. We had Zendaya, Rihanna, Doechii, Teyana Taylor, and Lauryn Hill (to name a few style muses) walking the same iconic staircase. The evening went down in fashion history as one of the most memorable Met Galas. Now, the dream team is back, hard at work, ready to outdo themselves.

Bright and early on November 17, Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton took his rightful place alongside former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour to break the news, just as they've done for years. Before then, only the date was public knowledge—the rest remained on a need-to-know basis. In true industry fashion, press passes were required to watch Bolton and Wintour in action, but Marie Claire jotted down everything there is to know about the 2026 Met Gala.

Teasers regarding the co-hosts, the "Costume Art" theme, and the star-studded guest list suggest the red carpet will be one to watch. But you already knew that, didn't you? Those with a countdown to May 4, 2026 are welcome here, where we break down the 2026 Met Gala in detail.

What Is the Met Gala?

The highly anticipated Met Gala serves two broad purposes, and has since 1948. First and foremost, it raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, which builds the exhibition's impressive installations each May. Designers or individuals purchase the invite-only tickets (starting at $75,000) to support the self-funded fashion department. Then, it's tradition for the brands to dress each A-lister at their table.

Second, the buzziest names in fashion, music, film, and sports get the opportunity to perform on style's biggest stage: the Metropolitan Museum's famous steps. Regular guests like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid, and Sarah Jessica Parker spend months prepping their Met Gala looks, all for a few moments on the red carpet. Each attendee, regardless of the year, is tasked with the shockingly difficult task of interpreting the theme, without straying too far from the dress code. (Yes, those are two separate feats.)

When Will the Met Gala Take Place?

At this point, the first Monday in May belongs to the Met Gala. Every year like clockwork, the Metropolitan Museum closes for one day as artists work to transform the venue into the corresponding theme. This year is no different. A giant tent will shelter the viral staircase on May 4, 2026, as the countdown to the first step-and-repeat dwindles down. The red carpet will open at 4:30 p.m. EST, before the Vogue.com livestream starts at 6 p.m. EST.

How Can I Watch the Met Gala?

Many fans camp out around the Metropolitan Museum, hoping to catch just a glimpse of a Met Gala guest or two. Should you want a more comfortable option (without the risk of rain), you can watch the livestream on Vogue.com or the outlet's social media platforms. Of course, Marie Claire will be reporting live all evening long, spotlighting all the best-dressed celebrities. (Catch up on last year's coverage before the night of nights.)

What Is the Met Gala Theme?

Drum-roll, please. Meet "Costume Art," the 2026 Met Gala's theme. "The title ‘Costume Art’ refers to the history of the costume institute,” said Bolton at the Monday morning press conference. Fashion's elite will be the first to view the new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries, constructed alongside the Met’s Great Hall. "It will be transformative for our department, but I also think it’s going to be transformative to fashion more generally—the fact that an art museum like The Met is actually giving a central location to fashion," Bolton added.

An exhibition that showcases "the centrality of the dressed body in the museum’s vast collection" will inaugurate the permanent wing. Hundreds of paintings, photographs, and sculptures, plus historical and contemporary garments will stand side-by-side, all selected for their understanding of the "the indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear," Bolton told Vogue. "The idea was to put the body back into discussions about art and fashion, and to embrace the body, not to take it away as a way of elevating fashion to an art form."

To emphasize the relationship between fashion and figure, Bolton divided the exhibition into three categories: bodies omnipresent in art (classical and nude), undervalued bodices (aging and pregnant), and the universal anatomical body.

"I’ve always wanted to try to bridge the gap between the viewer and the mannequin," Bolted added. Mannequins adorned with mirrors will encourage audiences "to reflect on the lived experience of the bodies you’re looking at, and also to reflect your own lived experience—to facilitate empathy and compassion" The Costume Institute will also cast real, genuine bodies to wear the rare clothes. "As you go through, [the exhibition] will challenge normative conventions and, in turn, offer more diverse displays of beauty.”

Who Is Hosting the Met Gala?

Unfortunately, the 2026 Met Gala co-hosts still remain a mystery—it's unclear which celebrities will bring the theme and dress code to life.

However, we do know Saint Laurent is the event's main fashion sponsor, meaning the brand's muses will (presumably) steal the show. Ambassadors Zoë Kravitz, Hailey Bieber, Austin Butler, and Blackpink's Rosé could attend, dressed in head-to-toe Saint Laurent. There's also a chance the four are vying for co-host spots, too. Since none of them have held the title before, 2026 could be their year.

Last year's core four—Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, and Colman Domingo—set a high bar for successors, whoever they may be. Stay tuned to Marie Claire for 2026's co-chair update in the coming days.

What Is the Dress Code?

Met Gala 101: The theme and dress code are two separate entities, both of which A-list guests are expected to uphold. Historically, the Costume Institute announces the theme and dress codes on different dates. (Last year, the "Tailored For You" dress code made headlines five months after the "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" theme.)

Drawing context clues from the "Costume Art" theme, there's a chance the dress code will require guests to reimagine their bodies as art. Vogue offered archival pulls from Charles James, Georgina Godley, Renata Buzzo, Comme des Garçons, and Walter Van Beirendonck as inspiration. Art from Albrecht Dürer, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux, and Harry Callahan complemented the clothing.

But we won't know the official dress code—and all its couture principles—until 2026. I bet a Kardashian or two already has their eye on Schiaparelli's pumping heart, as seen on the Spring 2025 Couture runway.

Where Is the Met Gala Held?

The Met Gala gets its name from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, its home since 1971. (Other New York City landmarks like the Waldorf Hotel and Central Park hosted the ball in the years prior.) This year, the world's most notable stars will return to the Fifth Avenue hotspot. Once again, the museum's recognizable steps will be decorated in a luxurious, custom-made carpet (though it's not always red).

In 2025, it was navy blue with a starry field of white daisy-like florals. Rose-covered walls lined the multi-tier stairs, all while separating the celebrities from photographers.

Who Is Invited to the Met Gala?

Contrary to popular opinion, not everyone who's anyone will secure an invite to the 2026 Met Gala. Typically, co-chairs and sponsors welcome around 450 guests each Monday in May. Politicians, athletes, actors, models, and musicians get to tour the never-before-seen exhibition—dressed in custom or archival designer—before thousands of museum-goers all year long. The guests at the "Tailored For You" edition weren't set in stone until they posed for photographers.

For instance, the question Will Rihanna attend? plagued audiences until the carpet closed on May 5, 2025. She arrived fashionably late in custom Marc Jacobs. The designer tailored the suited gown to cradle her then-growing baby bump, while still honoring the dress code and theme.

The official guest list remains under lock and key until the ball. However, in the days leading up to the Met, sometimes (if we're lucky) a celebrity roster will break the internet. Last year, main members of the Kardashian-Jenner family (Kylie, Kendall, and Kim) appeared front and center.

Fingers crossed a rumored guest list will grace our Instagram timelines again this year. So far, only Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos have confirmed their attendance. Plus, the newlyweds will help fund the exhibition and ball. Perhaps some of their celebrity wedding guests are on the guest list. Everyone from Kendall and Kylie Jenner to Oprah Winfrey celebrated their union in Venice this summer. Fans are hoping Lady Gaga, Cardi B, and Zendaya will also RSVP "yes" come May 4, 2026.