And it's the first Monday of May already, which means only one thing -- everyone's talking about fashion's biggest night, the Met Gala 2026. Interestingly, it's not just about couture and beauty moments anymore, but also just as much about viral moments and making a mark. Before the day, let's dive right into everything you need to know, including the theme, who is attending and most importantly, who to watch out for.
Met Gala theme and dress codeView this post on Instagram
The theme for Met Gala 2026, very rightly, is ‘Fashion is art’, and the dress code says ‘costume art’, calling guests to “express their relationship to fashion as an embodied art form.” It is no surprise how fashion often takes inspiration from pieces of art, and well, that means there are a gazillion references for guests to take inspo from.
Taking inspiration from the ‘Costume Art’ exhibit that will be displayed this spring, the dress code also asks guests to “examine the centrality of the dressed body.”
When and where to watch the Met Gala 2026 in IndiaThe red carpet arrivals of the Met will be livestreamed by Vogue on social media (YouTube and TikTok). It will take place from 6:00 pm EDT on May 4, i.e. 3:30 AM IST on May 5.
Celebs that are likely to make a statement
Credits: Instagram/metgalaofficial_
Well, the Met Gala red carpet has always been defined by a list of celebrities, and they almost never fail to bring the glam to the night. One of the celebrities we are really excited to see on the carpet is Zendaya, because it is no surprise that she brings an edge with her outfits, including the archival vibe that's equal parts dramatic and also tells a story. Rihanna, too, is someone who has always made an impact when it comes to the Met, and as someone who never holds back, we know for a fact that she'll create an impact that everyone's going to love. Jisoo is also said to be making her big Met Gala debut this year, and well, we all know she’s going to have a moment, because K-pop fashion is never short of iconic.
Timothee Chalamet and Bad Bunny are among the few men who sort of make a mark, each with their own kind of style. Kim Kardashian, meanwhile, will be interesting to watch out for, given how she always starts a conversation with what she wears at the Met steps. And of course, high expectations also ride on the likes of Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Blake Lively, who always give us something to watch out for, each with their own detail-oriented looks.
Indian celebrities everyone has their eyes on
Credits: Instagram/metgalaofficial_
Every year, Indian representation at the Met Gala makes quite the noise, and well, it looks like we might get some debuts this season, including Karan Johar, Tara Sutaria, and Ranveer Singh, among others. While Tara has always been about minimal but elevated glam, we can expect her to take things a notch up this time around, while both KJo and Ranveer will definitely go for high-drama, high-fashion looks and experiment away.
Meanwhile, Isha Ambani has consistently been someone who has taken Indian craftsmanship to the global level while doing couture like no other celeb, and we can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve this time around. Apart from Tara, Ananya Birla is also said to make her debut at the Met Gala, and it'll surely be one where she'd want to make a mark as someone who is just getting introduced into the conversation around fashion at a global level.
Alia Bhatt and Priyanka Chopra might be skipping the Gala this year, but then, who knows!
The fashion trends to expectHonestly, one can not predict much about the Met Gala, but something that one can expect this year, most definitely includes sculptural silhouettes, including corsets, elevated shoulders, and dramatic trains or capes, among other things. If that's not enough, there'll be a lot of focus on the choice of fabrics too, with metallic finishes and sheer layering along with embroidery and archival textiles being the centre of attention.
Menswear will see more structured and fluid tailoring, with a lot of focus on jewellery, among other things. As for beauty trends, it's all going to be about what works and aligns best with the outfits, over creating more dramatic looks. We can expect glass skin to be everywhere, with slick buns or wet hair, while adding more cohesive looks through bold eyes and monochrome palettes.
This year too, the Met Gala is not going to just be about who wore what, or who was the best dressed, but it'll also be about who managed to stick to the theme and make a moment out of it - one that'll be iconic. At the end, those who manage to bring a story over just designer clothes is who will be remembered.
Social and lead image credits: Instagram
