From the theme to the celebrity attendees, here's what to expect from the Met Gala 2026

The countdown has begun for the first Monday of May. The may-hem and the magic, Met Gala is set to return to the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to reaffirm its status as the epicentre of some of the most unforgettable moments in fashion. From the theme to the expected attendees this year, HELLO! India digs deeper into what to expect from the Met Gala this year. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition, “Costume Art.” The show will consider depictions of the dressed body from across the Met's curatorial departments, pairing garments with art objects spanning 5,000 years.

Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour will co-chair the 2026 Met Gala. Continuing a tradition from the past, this year's Met Gala will have a host committee. The committee co-chairs are Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz and some members of the committee are Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Lena Dunham, LISA, Sam Smith, and Teyana Taylor, to name a few. 

The Met Gala exhibit for years has become a way of creative expression, depicting raw feelings in the form of textiles and fashion through colours, textures and details. This year, the exhibit will feature almost 200 works of art from garments to accessories. “I’ve always wanted to try to bridge the gap between the viewer and the mannequin,” says Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of The Costume Institute. 

Both art and fashion will be displayed in the Exhibition, with a greater focus on fashion. The curation explains the human body through the lens of three major divisions that push us to think beyond the norm. Objects in “Costume Art” will be divided into a “series of thematic body types,” ranging from the “Naked Body” and the “Classical Body”—both of which are well represented within the museum’s collection.  Open to the public from May 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, art and fashion enthusiasts can expect a celebration of the human body in its physical and divine form.

As fashion continues to grow and evolve, its representation becomes more meaningful to cultures, narrating journeys with clothes. For designers and attendees alike, the theme encourages interpretations that are beyond the norm, pushing the boundaries of power, vulnerability and identity.

The creativity of designers and the unlimited possibilities and beauty of the human body will be interesting to watch in the form of artistic expression. With 'Costume Art' as the theme, expect sculptural ensembles and mechanical fashion fused with red carpet glamour. Can one expect another Schiaparelli beating heart on the red carpet? We'll have to wait till May 4th for that. 

Text by Nikita Gupta

Edited by Sabrina Mathews