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Met Gala's 'Fashion is Art' Theme Explained
21 Apr
Summary
- The Met Gala dress code is inspired by the Costume Institute's exhibition.
- This year's dress code is 'Fashion is Art,' celebrating fashion as an art form.
- Past themes include 'Camp: Notes on Fashion' and 'Gilded Glamour and White Tie'.
The Met Gala, renowned as fashion's premier event, bases its dress code on the Costume Institute's annual spring exhibition, which for 2026 is titled 'Costume Art.' This year's specific dress code is 'Fashion is Art,' inviting attendees to interpret fashion as an embodied art form and celebrate its historical representation.
This dress code encourages personal expression concerning fashion's artistic qualities. The Costume Institute, holding over 33,000 historical garments, is the gala's primary beneficiary. Past themes have included 'Camp: Notes on Fashion' in 2019 and 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion' in 2022, which had 'Gilded Glamour and White Tie' dress codes.
Notable past interpretations include Rihanna's 'Sunday Best' inspired look in 2018 and Zendaya's Cinderella-esque gown in 2019. Blake Lively's 2022 ensemble paid homage to New York's Art Deco architecture and the Statue of Liberty. However, not all attendees strictly adhere, with some past looks facing criticism for diverging from the intended theme.
