The Met Gala has officially revealed its 2026 theme — a striking, minimalist declaration: “Costume Art.” Fashion’s most iconic night is returning with a tribute to the Costume Institute’s forthcoming exhibition at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Vogue announced the theme on Monday, marking the first time the Gala has selected a title with no accompanying subtitle. According to Andrew Bolton, head curator of the Anna Wintour Costume Centre, the simplicity is intentional. Speaking to CNN, Bolton said the theme reflects the Costume Institute’s history and underscores fashion’s claim to artistic legitimacy, rooted in its deep connection to the human body. “Fashion has the status of art because of, and not in spite of, its relation to the body,” he noted.
The Met Gala serves as the primary fundraiser for the Costume Institute’s exhibition, and the Gala’s theme is aligned directly with the show it supports. Teen Vogue reports that the 2026 exhibition, inspired by the “centrality of the body,” will christen nearly 12,000 square feet of the museum’s new Condé Nast Galleries — The Met’s first permanent fashion-focused installation. Visitors will encounter an immersive blend of paintings, sculptures, and artefacts from 5,000 years of global art, paired with historic and contemporary garments from the Institute’s extensive archives.
Bolton explained that the lack of a subtitle was a deliberate artistic choice — a bold, self-assured gesture. “It’s bold, it’s strong… The goal is not to create a new hierarchy but to dissolve it — to bring artworks and bodies into pure equivalency,” he said.
As is tradition, the official dress code will be unveiled closer to the event, and the names of the co-chairs and hosts also remain under wraps for now.
Last year’s Met Gala featured an eclectic mix of co-chairs, including actor Colman Domingo, F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton, rapper A$AP Rocky, and singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, alongside Anna Wintour. Basketball legend LeBron James served as honorary chair, while Monica L. Miller joined Bolton as guest curator, shaping the 2025 exhibition inspired by her book Slaves to Fashion.
For now, the Met Gala’s 2026 guest list remains tightly guarded until the first Monday of May, when the world will watch fashion’s elite transform the museum steps into a living gallery.
