Building on the glamour of the 2026 Met Gala's 'Fashion Is Art' dress code—which celebrated the Costume Institute’s 'Costume Art' exhibition—the red carpet showcased sculpted bodices, vibrant hues, trompe l'oeil effects, prosthetic details, and naked dressing interpretations. The Kardashian-Jenners and Hailey Bieber led the trends with painterly body depictions and sculptural silhouettes.
The 2026 Met Gala red carpet embraced the theme through innovative designs mimicking and sculpting the body as art. Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner wore nude bustiers from Schiaparelli and GapStudio, respectively, each featuring sculpted breastplates and prosthetic nipples echoing Kim Kardashian’s Skims bra. Kim donned a custom Allen Jones and Whitaker Malem look with creative director Nadia Lee Cohen, drawing from 1960s molds. “I have seen his work referenced so many times by people in fashion, and I’ve always been a big admirer of his work,” Kardashian told Vogue of Jones.
Bold colors contrasted neutrals inspired by antiquities. Hailey Bieber paired a gold Saint Laurent bustier with Yves Klein blue ultramarine skirt and scarf, while Tessa Thompson matched her Valentino dress with ultramarine finger paint. Alessandro Michele’s Valentino group included Lena Dunham in red beaded feathers evoking Artemisia Gentileschi’s Judith Slaying Holofernes, Tyla in vibrant teal, and Colman Domingo in multicolored harlequin. Other standouts: Sarah Pidgeon and Alexa Chung in chartreuse satins, Kardashian’s tangerine breastplate, Gigi Hadid in Miu Miu, Heidi Klum’s full-body disguise, and archival Claude Lalanne x Saint Laurent for Bieber—all riffing on naked dressing with sheer and lingerie looks.
