Red carpet / Met Gala 2026
Models on the Met Gala 2026 red carpet.
From Anok Yai's hooded Balenciaga to Hailey Bieber's solid-gold Saint Laurent bodice: the models who answered 'Fashion Is Art' on the Met steps, with sourced designer credits.
Which models walked the red carpet at Met Gala 2026?
Models photographed on the Met steps on 4 May 2026 included Anok Yai, Adwoa Aboah, Hailey Bieber, Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Hunter Schafer, Irina Shayk, Liu Wen, Kate Moss and Miranda Kerr. W Magazine's red-carpet list also credits looks for Adut Akech, Imaan Hammam, Vittoria Ceretti, Karlie Kloss, Jasmine Tookes and Lila Moss.
The 2026 Met Gala took place on Monday 4 May at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, marking the Costume Institute's spring exhibition 'Costume Art'. It is the first show in the museum's new Condé M. Nast Galleries, setting close to 400 objects alongside artworks from across the Met's collection, and the evening's dress code was 'Fashion Is Art'.
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour co-chaired the night, with Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz leading the host committee. Models sat on that committee too: Alex Consani and Adut Akech were named members, and Consani arrived in a custom Gucci by Demna look that moved, in her words, from 'white swan to black swan'.
The open brief rewarded research. Hailey Bieber's 24-carat gold Saint Laurent bodice nodded to Yves Saint Laurent's 1969 collaboration with Claude Lalanne, Hunter Schafer's Prada gown was modelled on Gustav Klimt's portrait of Mäda Primavesi, Kendall Jenner's GapStudio gown by Zac Posen took the Winged Victory of Samothrace as its starting point, and Anok Yai's Balenciaga drew on the house's 1949 archives.
All photographs on this page were taken on the Met steps on 4 May 2026 by Wikimedia Commons photographer SWinxy and are published under CC BY 4.0.
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Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 01 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Anok Yai
Balenciaga (custom) · Custom black Balenciaga gown with a sculpted hood, inspired by the house's 1949 archives (Vogue Singapore), worn with long black gloves and a diamond necklace. V Magazine described the concept as 'a walking statue' inspired by the weeping Madonna and Our Lady of Tears.
Yai turned the Met steps into a plinth: a vast black hood frames her face like a sculpted veil, while long black gloves and a fine diamond necklace keep every line severe and precise. It is one of the night's most literal, and most arresting, answers to 'Fashion Is Art'.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, V Magazine — The best-dressed women at the 2026 Met Gala, Vogue Singapore — The best-dressed stars on the Met Gala 2026 red carpet
Anok Yai’s profile and Index Rating ↗ -
Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 02 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Adwoa Aboah
Simone Rocha · Simone Rocha, with jewellery by Sauer and Nikos Koulis (W Magazine).
Aboah's Simone Rocha pairs an ivory strapless corset, laced at the side and studded with silver embellishment, with a sheer skirt embroidered in silver florals. A towering bouffant updo and icy, shimmering eyes give the look a romantic, historical edge.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look
Adwoa Aboah’s profile and Index Rating ↗ -
Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 03 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Hailey Bieber
Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello (custom) · Custom Saint Laurent: a bodice sculpted in 24-carat gold with a long cobalt silk-chiffon skirt and matching lavallière scarf, inspired by Yves Saint Laurent's fall 1969 couture collaboration with sculptor Claude Lalanne (Vogue Philippines; V Magazine). Jewellery by Belperron (W Magazine).
Bieber's look is a study in two saturated tones: a moulded gold bustier that catches the light like sculpture, over a long column of cobalt chiffon. A sleek low bun and pared-back gold jewellery let the metalwork do the talking.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, V Magazine — The best-dressed women at the 2026 Met Gala, Vogue Philippines — Hailey Bieber's solid-gold Saint Laurent at the 2026 Met Gala
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Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 04 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art' (host committee member)
Alex Consani
Gucci by Demna (custom) · Custom Gucci by Demna: Consani arrived in a white faille cape that opened to reveal a nude tulle corseted bustier and a voluminous black feathered skirt with a sweeping train. She described the reveal as going from 'white swan to black swan' (Vogue Philippines). Consani served on the 2026 host committee.
Caught mid-reveal on the steps, Consani's look shows both acts at once: the white faille cape gathered at her hips, the black feathers and nude corsetry beneath. A low blonde ponytail and an over-the-shoulder glance make it pure runway theatre.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, V Magazine — The best-dressed women at the 2026 Met Gala, The Hollywood Reporter — Alex Consani's sheer Gucci gown at the 2026 Met Gala, Vogue Philippines — Alex Consani's black swan at the 2026 Met Gala
Alex Consani’s profile and Index Rating ↗ -
Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 05 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Paloma Elsesser
Bureau of Imagination by Francesco Risso (custom) · Bureau of Imagination by Francesco Risso with Bernard James jewellery (W Magazine; WWD). RUSSH reported the gown was repurposed from vintage dresses into 'a kind of couture collage'. Make-up by Michaela Bosch (Who What Wear).
Elsesser's gown reads like a collage: long sleeves and a fitted column pieced from pastel, ivory and metallic fragments, scattered with silver flower appliqués and beadwork. Worn with loose, waist-length waves, it feels hand-made in the best sense.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, WWD — Met Gala 2026 red carpet arrivals (Paloma Elsesser), RUSSH — The most on-theme looks from the 2026 Met Gala, Who What Wear — the details on Paloma Elsesser's 2026 Met Gala look
Paloma Elsesser’s profile and Index Rating ↗ -
Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 06 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Gigi Hadid
Miu Miu (custom) · Custom black Miu Miu gown with hotfix crystals, patchwork flames and floral embroidery: the sheer base references Miu Miu spring 1998, the flame and floral motifs spring/summer 2011 (Vogue Singapore; V Magazine). Jewellery by Jessica McCormack (W Magazine).
Hadid's Miu Miu is all about texture up close: a sheer, crystal-flecked black column with silver flame appliqués licking up from the neckline. Soft, side-parted waves keep the archive references feeling relaxed rather than costume-like.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, V Magazine — The best-dressed women at the 2026 Met Gala, Vogue Singapore — How Gigi Hadid's Met Gala dress was built
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Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 07 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Hunter Schafer
Prada (custom) · Custom Prada linen gown with an empire waist, a row of rosettes and printed silk-chiffon devoré detailing that continues into a long train, inspired by Gustav Klimt's portrait of Mäda Primavesi (W Magazine; V Magazine). Hair by Rena Calhoun with a custom Prada bow (Dazed).
Schafer's Prada is the evening's most painterly look: an ivory empire-waist dress trimmed with rosettes and bows, trailing a floral chiffon train down the steps. With loose waves and a bow pinned at the side, she looks like the Klimt portrait stepped out of its frame.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, W Magazine — Hunter Schafer's 2026 Met Gala look and Gustav Klimt, V Magazine — The best-dressed women at the 2026 Met Gala, Dazed — Hunter Schafer's Met Gala 2026 hair
Hunter Schafer’s profile and Index Rating ↗ -
Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 08 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Liu Wen
Michael Kors Collection (custom) · White crepe-jersey draped gown with a matching ruched bra and wrist-train swags, inspired by Erté's art deco illustrations (Michael Kors). Jewellery by Chopard (W Magazine).
Liu's Michael Kors is best appreciated from behind: an open back framed by a ruched white halter, with long jersey swags falling from the wrists like an Erté drawing. A waist-length braided ponytail and sparkling drop earrings finish the deco line.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, Michael Kors — Met Gala 2026
Liu Wen’s profile and Index Rating ↗ -
Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 09 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Kate Moss
Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello · Sheer black floor-length Saint Laurent gown over a lace bodice (Vogue Philippines), with jewellery by A La Vieille Russie (W Magazine). Her first Met Gala since 2023.
Moss returned to the Met in the kind of Saint Laurent she has made her own: sheer black lace with long sleeves and a slim belt at the waist. Undone blonde waves and a glance over the shoulder make it look effortless, which is exactly the point.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look, Vogue Philippines — Kate Moss in Saint Laurent at the 2026 Met Gala
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Photo: SWinxy · CC BY 4.0 10 · Met Gala 2026 — Costume Institute Benefit for 'Costume Art', The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Miranda Kerr
Dior · Credited as Dior by W Magazine; collection and designer not specified.
Kerr's Dior is all ivory texture: a halter neckline, an embellished bodice finished with a sculptural bow at the hip, and a lace-embroidered column that pools into a train. A high, sleek ponytail keeps the all-white look crisp.
Credit sources: W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look
Read further
Sources.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art — Spring 2026 Costume Institute show and new galleries (press release)
- W Magazine — The 2026 Met Gala dress code
- Variety — Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams to co-chair Met Gala 2026
- The Hollywood Reporter — Beyoncé to return to the Met Gala as co-chair
- W Magazine — The Met Gala 2026 red carpet: every must-see celebrity look
- V Magazine — The best-dressed women at the 2026 Met Gala
- Vogue Singapore — The best-dressed stars on the Met Gala 2026 red carpet
- Wikimedia Commons — Category: 2026 Met Gala
Designer credits come from the fashion press or the house; where none was reported we say so. Photographs are freely licensed from Wikimedia Commons and credited on each look and on Image credits.