The Met Gala’s power line-up for 2026 has been revealed: music icon Beyoncé will return to co-chair the event on Monday, May 4, 2026, joining film legend Nicole Kidman and tennis champion Venus Williams on the dais alongside Vogue’s Anna Wintour. This announcement thrills fashion fans, as it marks Beyoncé’s first Met Gala appearance in a decade (she last walked the steps in 2016). Kidman and Williams have been regular attendees (Kidman co-chaired in 2003 and 2005), but Williams will be a Met Gala co-chair for the first time, following in big sister Serena’s footsteps (Serena co-chaired in 2019). All four co-chairs – Beyoncé, Kidman, Williams and Wintour will “welcome guests to the Metropolitan Museum of Art” for what Anna Wintour calls “fashion’s biggest night out.”
The gala’s theme will be “Costume Art,” tying in with The Met’s spring 2026 Costume Institute exhibition. Curator Andrew Bolton’s upcoming exhibit is about the “centrality of the dressed body”, pairing artworks (paintings, sculpture, etc.) with clothing to examine how garments and human form shape one another. In practice, this means gallery displays organized by body types – from the “Naked Body” and “Classical Body” to more modern themes like the “Pregnant Body” and “Aging Body” to highlight the inextricable relationship between clothing and the body. (The exhibition Costume Art opens to the public May 10, 2026 and runs through January 10, 2027.) The May 4 Met Gala will effectively launch this show; the first in The Met’s new 12,000‑square‑foot Condé Nast Galleries, so expect the red carpet to reference themes of flesh, fabric and form in bold, creative ways.
The trio of co-chairs spans music, film and sports: Beyoncé, Kidman, and Williams each bring a different star power to the gala. Beyoncé, a global pop phenomenon, is seen here at the 2016 Met Gala; tennis legend Venus, a style icon on and off the court, is pictured at the 2025 gala. Together with actress Nicole Kidman, they promise a fashion- and culture-filled evening. “We are thrilled to announce such an esteemed group of co-chairs,” said Met director Max Hollein, noting that this diverse mix of talents reflects fashion’s reach across many fields.
The “Costume Art” Exhibition
Behind the glamour is a deep curatorial concept. The “Costume Art” exhibit itself is designed to explore the relationship between clothing and the body beneath. As one press release explains, visitors will see how art and fashion converse across time. For example, a 16th‑century painting of Adam and Eve might be displayed alongside a modern ensemble by Walter Van Beirendonck. The display is intentionally organized into body-themed sections (Classical, Pregnant, Aging, etc.) to highlight how garments shape our image of the human form and vice versa.
This show will also inaugurate The Met’s new Condé Nast Galleries, a vast 12,000 sq. ft. space adjacent to the Great Hall. In these state‑of‑the‑art galleries, the Costume Institute will have a permanent home for its spring exhibitions. In fact, the exhibit opens May 10, 2026, just days after the gala, and runs through January 10, 2027. Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton emphasizes that “Costume Art” is about more than just flashy outfits – it’s a dialogue between art and fashion that foregrounds the “materiality and the indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear.” Fashion fans can therefore expect some truly inventive ensembles on the May 4 red carpet, as stars and designers interpret the theme by literally wearing the idea of costume art on their bodies.
A Star-Studded Host Committee
The Met also unveiled the 2026 Host Committee; the larger entourage of celebrities who help promote the event. This group will be co-chaired by Anthony Vaccarello (creative director of Saint Laurent) and Zoë Kravitz (actor/singer). Their committee is positively star-studded. Already announced members include pop singer Sabrina Carpenter, ballet superstar Misty Copeland, model Paloma Elsesser and K-pop icon LISA (of BLACKPINK) among many others from entertainment, art and sports. (Other big names on the list are Doja Cat, Sam Smith, Alex Consani, Chloe Malle, Teyana Taylor, A’ja Wilson, Gwendoline Christie, Lena Dunham and more.) All told, the host committee spans music, film, modeling, sports and art, ensuring the gala reaches fans worldwide. Met CEO Max Hollein called the committee “esteemed,” and each member will likely appear at gala events leading up to May 4, helping to generate buzz. Additional host committee members and details will be announced early next year.
For now, all eyes are on that first Monday in May. The official dress code for the gala hasn’t been revealed yet, but insiders say it will surely echo the “Costume Art” theme, perhaps encouraging avant‑garde, body-focused creations. As always, the Met Gala is more than just a party: it’s the Costume Institute’s biggest annual fundraiser. Every ticket and donation goes toward the museum’s exhibitions and operations.
2026’s Met Gala is shaping up to be unforgettable. With Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams leading the charge and a killer theme that literally puts the human form at center stage, fashion lovers have a lot to look forward to. Fashionistas should mark their calendars and start brainstorming looks now; the countdown to “Costume Art” is on.
