Met Gala 2026: from Beyoncé's 'skeleton' dress to Katy Perry's fencing mask and a 'vintage' Bad Bunny's Zara 'look'

BarcelonaA very floral carpet with reminiscences of Van Gogh saw the top brass of global celebrities pass by this Monday night, who gathered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to raise funds for the Fashion Institute. The traditional Met Gala was held, not without controversy due to the participation of Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon, and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, as the main financiers of the event, a fact that has led to calls for a boycott. Nevertheless, the gala continues to be the big fashion party and this year the chosen theme –Fashion is art– has given rise to the most diverse interpretations: on the carpet we have seen sober dresses but also very outlandish options, the most direct way to make an impact.

The most daring and fantastical of the night were mainly pop singers, led by Beyoncé, who was one of the hosts of the gala. The singer of Crazy in love, who last year missed the event due to the Cowboy Carter tour, made a strong impression on the red carpet and showed her personality with a dress that simulated a silver skeleton, the work of French designer Olivier Rousteing, who also designed the singer's iconic wardrobe for the 2018 Coachella performances. Beyoncé's dramatic look was complemented by a feather cape.

Also silver and a little eccentric was the appearance of Katy Perry, who on this occasion was not accompanied by her new partner, the former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. The singer surprised with a silver fencing mask that completely covered her face and had a futuristic touch. Perhaps to give maximum prominence to this accessory, the choice of dress was more traditional: a strapless white design by Stella McCartney.

Rihanna and Madonna never fail

of Chanel that stood out for a pink wool robe.

outfit of Chanel that stood out for a pink wool robe.

Another veteran of the fashion event, Madonna, also did not want to go unnoticed. The pop diva chose a floor-length black Saint Laurent lingerie dress that stood out for a gray veil held by six companions also dressed in lingerie, but in their case in pastel tones. The pop queen's proposal is inspired by a painting by the surrealist artist Leonora Carrington.

But if there is one singer who each year takes home the award for most original, it is, without a doubt, Janelle Monáe. This year she has not disappointed her fans and has appeared on the red carpet with a proposal that combined nature and technology. Siriano's design, in a post-apocalyptic style, consisted of a base that simulated grass and a tangle of cables and electronic elements that overlapped. This year Monáe has found a competitor in terms of originality, Heidi Klum. The model left everyone speechless when she appeared on the red carpet transformed into a Roman statue, a proposal that brought to mind her traditional and extreme Halloween costumes.

And halfway between extravagance and classicism was also Sabrina Carpenter, who wore a black tulle dress by Dior made with film frames from the movie Sabrina, a nod to her name. But risky proposals are not just for singers, and one of the most talked-about appearances of the night was that of tennis player Naomi Osaka, who stood out for her extremely wide hat. Her two-piece white dress was by Robert Wun.

Nicole Kidman, classic queen

Aside from Beyoncé, another of the night's hosts was Nicole Kidman. If the singer has led the most daring attendees, the Australian actress has paved the way for those who do not want stylistic adventures. Accompanied by her daughter Sunday Rose, the star of Moulin Rouge has chosen a fitted red sequined Chanel dress with feathers on the hips and cuffs. Her friend Naomi Watts has also joined the club of classics, although in her case with a romantic touch. The star of Mullholand Drive has worn a black Dior dress that stood out for its floral embellishments on the back. To complete the look, Watts has used the same flowers in her hairstyle.

In one of her most difficult professional years following the legal dispute with Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively has returned to the Met Gala, reclaiming her crown as the queen of fashion. Her pastel-toned Versace dress with a multi-layered skirt was elegant and at the same time had a princely touch. According to the actress, the inspiration for the design is 18th-century Venetian Rococo.

Anne Hathaway, another regular presence at the Met Gala, has gone much less colorful than Lively. The star of The Devil Wears Prada 2 has chosen a black dress with hand-painted white details reminiscent of the decorations on some Greek ceramics. The design by Michael Kors is inspired by John Keats' poem Ode on a Grecian Urn.

And from two Met Gala veterans to a debutante, Sarah Pidgeon, known for having played Carolyn Bessette in the miniseries Love story. The actress has played it safe with a yellow Loewe dress that stands out for a bandeau top that simulates a bow and a tube skirt of the same color.

Among the classic ones but with a disconcerting touch, the also actress Sarah Paulson stands out. Ryan Murphy's muse wore a gray tulle dress from Matières Fécales, but what really stood out about her look was the mask shaped like a one-dollar bill. Behind the entire aesthetic proposal, there is a message: the collection to which the Parisian firm's dress belongs is called The One Percent and it aims to be a caricature of the ultra-rich, the one percent of society.

In the same vein as Paulson, Gwendoline Christie, an actress known for Game of Thrones and who will also be in the Harry Potter series, is worth noting. The British actress's dress was inspired by the work of painter John Singer Sargent: a red siren-style design by Giles Deacon. But what gave the proposal its differentiating touch was a mask that simulated a face with intense red lips and at first glance could appear to be a mirror due to its shape.

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, stars of the moment

Beyond fashion, the Met Gala also serves to identify the celebrities of the moment. In this regard, two of the standout names this year have been the protagonists of the series More Than Rivals. Connor Storrie sported strong shoulders with a white picket halter neck top tied at the neck from Saint Laurent, and his co-star Hudson Williams opted for a Balenciaga look that seemed inspired by bullfighter fashion: a sky blue and black bolero top left open to reveal the torso.

And as always, among the best dressed of the night was Colman Domingo, who wore a colorful Valentino design that was intended as a tribute to the painter Basquiat.

But one of the great kings of the night has been Bad Bunny, who has left everyone speechless by appearing at the party as an aged version of himself –white hair and white beard and wrinkles furrowing his face–. It has not been the only surprise of his look, as he has opted for the low cost and has gone with a Zara tuxedo designed by himself and which stood out for a large bow at the neck. Bad Bunny's suit has not been the only representation of Inditex at the gala because Marta Ortega herself, president of the fashion group, has also paraded on the Met Gala carpet. In her case, she has done so with a navy blue silk dress made by John Galliano for Zara expressly for the occasion.