Met Gala 2026 returns with Beyoncé, Stevie Nicks surprises: All the red carpet looks

Met Gala highlights: Beyoncé, Rihanna, Madonna, Stevie Nicks, more

Anika Reed

In a night of hundreds of A-listers, the spotlight shined brightest on these stars and fashion high points.

Beyoncé's return: Beyoncé made her Met Gala comeback after 10 years, bringing Jay-Z and Blue Ivy with her as she beamed with pride and tons of silver gems in her silver Olivier Rousteing look. We breathed Beyoncé's rare air, what else is there to say?

Rihanna's surprise arrival: It's Rihanna's world and we're just living in it (albeit a glamorous world with an oyster-like Maison Margiela couture gown and A$AP Rocky on her arm). The superstar closed out the carpet with her usual fanfare and sartorial suspense.

Stevie Nicks, Madonna and Cher shock and excite fans: The OGs of music got their flowers Monday night with applause and fan fervor around their surprise appearances. (In case there was ever any question, they've clearly still got it.)

Bad Bunny or Grandpa Benito?Bad Bunny gave fans a glimpse into the future, aging himself up with special-effects makeup, gray facial hair and a cane.

The subtle, sexy, subversive naked look: Kim Kardashian and sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner were part of the parade of the illusion or exposure, also seen on Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid and Chase Infiniti, who donned a colorful, Venus de Milo-inspired sheath. Doechii, Simone Ashley, Irina Shayk and Tyla showed swaths of skin, while Vittoria Ceretti had diamonds dripping down a sexy open-back (and somewhat open-front) little black dress. The men got involved too, with Tyriq Withers and Connor Storrie going sheer on top.

Met Gala best red carpet looks

Anika Reed

Who earned the title of best dressed at the Met Gala?

Beyoncé, of course, landed on USA TODAY's best-dressed list. So did Hailey Bieber –  in a custom Yves Saint Laurent gown with a sculpted, gold bodice – and Doechii in a daring maroon dress, providing a balance between sensual and glamorous. Also on the list are "Heated Rivalry" stars Hudson Williams, in a provocative baby blue Balenciaga suit, and Connor Storrie, in an androgynous ensemble from Yves Saint Laurent.

See the full list below.

What you didn't see: The Rock taking a shot, Madonna's boombox, Charli XCX's early exit

Anika Reed

For all the moments you saw on TV and social media, there are always behind-the-scenes details.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brought the party with him, sipping from a mini bottle of his Teremana tequila ("I know the guy who founded it," he joked to USA TODAY on the carpet). Madonna also brought her own music to the function, creating a mood with a personal boombox held by one of her team members. And any party pro knows to leave just as things are getting good: Just ask Charli XCX, who exited stage left with a drink in hand and Cara Delevingne by her side.

Who skipped the Met Gala?

Anika Reed and Anthony Robledo

Several former gala attendees were notably absent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including "Devil Wears Prada" star Meryl Streep (though her costars attended in her absence). Sydney Sweeney, Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet were also among the surprising absentees.

Heidi Klum serves statue, transforms into sculpture

Anika Reed

Heidi Klum is melding costume and custom. The Queen of Halloween transformed into a living sculpture, with her custom getup, created by Mike Marino, nodding to Raffaelle Monti's 1847 sculpture "Veiled Vestal."

Gold medal looks from Olympians Eileen Gu, Alysa Liu

Anika Reed

Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu opted for red ruffles for her Met Gala debut, showing off her signature blonde-and-brown hair (and her signature smile) with her Louis Vuitton look.

For Olympic gold medal freestyle skier Eileen Gu, her bubbly Met Gala look allowed her to bring a "sense of whimsy" to the night, with a built-in bubble machine.

"You're taking something that lasts such a short period of time and freezing it forever," Gu says of her look, made of glass bubbles and weighing 30 pounds. "But I lift weights, don't worry, I'm good, a girl's good."

Kendall, Kylie Jenner don jaw-dropping naked looks

Anika Reed and Edward Segarra

Leave it to the Jenners to cause a commotion. The sisters opted for suggestive sartorial choices, with Kylie Jenner stepping onto the carpet in a revealing strapless gown by Schiaparelli. The daring frock's nude-colored corset gave the outfit a "naked dress" effect.

Kendall Jenner chose a sultry skin-tight dress by Zac Posen for Gap Studio. The gown's understated look featured an asymmetrical strap and an illusion of exposure.

The hottest Met Gala accessory was a blindfold

Anika Reed

Was the blindfold the biggest trend of the Met Gala? Multiple stars donned variations of a blindfold, including Rosalía's sheer white one that draped down to the floor. Shortly after, Sarah Paulson arrived fully blinded by a symbol: money (a $1 bill, to be exact), a pointed message to the "1%," she said. Madonna also had a group of sheer blindfolded handlers for the gauzy train of her ensemble.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky close down the carpet

Anika Reed

Good things come to those who wait. Just after 9:10 p.m., Rihanna and A$AP Rocky turned up and turned out to shut down the Met Gala carpet for the evening. Rihanna, draped in gunmetal Margiela couture, created yet another Met moment, a year after debuting her baby bump on the carpet (her second time doing so, with her third child Rocki). A$AP Rocky donned a pink overcoat with black piping and a black collar, accessorizing with gold chains and oversized pendants atop a classic bow tie. Rihanna told the press that her ensemble was inspired by her home country of Barbados.

Rihanna is on her way

Anika Reed

Though the carpet has quieted, there are murmurs in the air: Rihanna is coming. The singer and Met Gala icon is set to shut down the red carpet, spotted leaving her hotel by photographers, following Beyoncé's return to the Met steps 10 years after her last appearance. Rihanna is known to be a tad tardy for the party, but she's well worth the wait.

Madonna serves shipwreck chic

Anika Reed

With a pirate ship atop her head and a gaggle of girls in sheer blindfolds carrying her long gray train, Madonna made it known that she had arrived. The songstress even came with her own personal boombox, playing an instrumental tune as her long dark locks hung down near the golden horn she carried in her opera-gloved hand.

Blue Ivy, Jay-Z join Beyoncé at Met Gala

Anika Reed

The billionaire rapper is supporting his megastar wife at the gala, alongside their teenage daughter, Blue Ivy. Blue Ivy looked like the image of her mother, stepping out in a cream colored gown and posing for photos with her parents. Beyoncé, one of the co-chairs of the night, said "family" was the essence of her Olivier Rousteing look for the night, styled by Ty Hunter.

Beyoncé arrives at Met Gala

Anika Reed

The Beyoncé Gala has finally commenced. For her first Met Gala in 10 years, the "Texas Hold 'Em" singer arrived to screams from across Fifth Avenue and an onslaught of camera flashes before she ascended the stairs. She wore a shimmering silver showstopper from designer Olivier Rousteing, featuring bedazzled-skeleton detailing, a silver headpiece and gray feathers creating a long train. As one of the co-chairs of the night, Beyoncé made her grand entrance around 8:30 p.m., well after Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour, for the festivities.

Blake Lively hits Met Gala carpet after settlement

Anika Reed

In a cascading pink and purple archival Versace ballgown, Blake Lively quietly arrived at the Met Gala just hours after settling her bombshell lawsuit with "It Ends with Us" costar/director Justin Baldoni. She posed for the cameras before talking to Vogue and heading inside. This marks Lively's first gala in four years, though the actress was a mainstay of the carpet and one of the co-chairs in 2022.

Anne Hathaway stuns with 'Devil Wears Prada 2' cast

Anika Reed

Anne Hathaway has made her grand entrance with designer Michael Kors, sporting a bird-adorned gown. "The Devil Wears Prada 2" star stepped onto the carpet following the blockbuster box office success of the fashion movie sequel. She's joined by her costars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci (though Meryl Streep is seemingly skipping the event).

Kim Kardashian arrives with special date – and a hair transformation

Anika Reed

Kim Kardashian has become a Met Gala staple, and this time she had a special date on her arm and a new hair look for the 2026 carpet. Momager Kris Jenner joined her daughter, who also showcased a different hair look with a short bob and bangs. Kardashian, in a skin-tight orange breastplate bodysuit with an open-front skirt, rocked a shoulder-length dirty blonde lob. Her rumored beau Lewis Hamilton is expected to hit the carpet Monday night as well, though Kardashian declined to walk in with him (unlike when she made her carpet debut with then-boyfriend Pete Davidson in 2022).

Cher shocks at Met Gala with ageless appearance, Bad Bunny ages rapidly with old man look

Anika Reed

There's no need for Cher to want to turn back time, as the music legend arrived at the Met Gala in black lace and leather. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny sped up time, sporting an aged look with gray hair and special effects makeup to make him look older. The Super Bowl halftime show performer also rocked a cane to add some swagger to his ensemble.

Serena and Sabrina unite

Anika Reed

Serena Williams and Sabrina Carpenter linked up on the red carpet, as photographers and press yelled out "Serena!" and then "Sabrina!" The unexpected duo posed together for photos, with Carpenter in a celluloid film-inspired custom Dior slit dress – tributing the 1954 Audrey Hepburn film "Sabrina" – and jeweled headpiece, while Williams rocked mixed metals with silver and gold.

Zoë Kravitz slyly hides left hand on Met Gala carpet

Anthony Robledo

As fashion enthusiasts dissect Zoë Kravitz's 2026 Met Gala look from head to toe, Harry Styles fans are noticing that an engagement ring is nowhere to be spotted.

Amid speculation that she is engaged to the "Aperture" singer, the actress kept her left hand out of sight as photographers captured her look. The "Big Little Lies" star donned an all-black Yves Saint Laurent lace gown with a deep neckline and intricate floral detailing paired with chunky, yellow flower earrings. Though she failed to flaunt a rumored engagement ring, she wore a light colored flower ring on her right hand.

Stevie Nicks makes surprise Met Gala appearance

Anika Reed

Rock legend Stevie Nicks and her top hat walked in to cheers as she shocked onlookers with her arrival in bespoke Zara and John Galliano. Her long train took multiple people to carry up the stairs, and she greeted Angela Bassett warmly at the top of the steps, grabbing her hand as they spoke briefly.

No face, no case: Katy Perry arrives in silver mask

Anika Reed

Katy Perry is taking her space flight to the next level, looking alien-adjacent in a silver mask that covered her entire face, opening it up to serve face to the camera. Perry is no stranger to an over-the-top Met Gala look, previously arriving as a chandelier for the 2019 fete.

Gigi Hadid's Met Gala look includes custom undies

Anika Reed

Top model Gigi Hadid revealed that her Miu Miu look also had custom undergarments, comparing her sheer gown to an arts and crafts project with glittering patchwork detailing.

Ben Stiller would rather be at the Knicks game over Met Gala

Taylor Ardrey

Attending with wife Christine Taylor, Ben Stiller has brought his team spirit to the Met Gala. The actor and longtime Knicks fan donned a blue suit with an orange tie on the red carpet. He jokingly admitted to Access Hollywood that he wished he were at tonight's game versus the Philadelphia 76ers.

Lauren Sánchez Bezos opts for demure look

Edward Segarra

Lauren Sánchez Bezos, wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, opted for understated elegance in a strapless navy blue gown by Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli. The former journalist, who's co-sponsoring the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Costume Art" exhibit with her billionaire husband, serves as an honorary co-chair for the annual gala. The Bezos' involvement has prompted backlash and protests.

Maluma blows us a kiss

Anika Reed

Latin music superstar Maluma opted for a dapper Tom Ford suit with his hair slicked back into a bun, blowing USA TODAY a kiss before exiting the carpet.

Naomi Osaka gets anatomically correct with Met Gala look

Anika Reed

Naomi Osaka gave a wink to the body with her look, a sultry and sparkling red dress with anatomical features carved out in crystals. She unveiled the look after arriving in a white coat with red feathers.

Joining her in red were Lena Dunham and Gwendoline Christie, who both arrived in over-the-top red ensembles. Dunham donned a voluminous red feathered gown, while Christie held a mask modeled after her own face to accompany her off-the-shoulder gown in several shades of red.

Met Gala performance kicks off carpet with Whitney Houston tribute

Anika Reed

A quartet of musicians — three drummers and a guitarist — awaited at the top landing of the stairs before bursting into song with a rendition of Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," complete with a choir, dancers and lead singer in a full red ensemble.

Venus Williams sparkles in Swarovski, snaps a selfie

Anika Reed

Tennis icon Venus Williams, one of the Met Gala co-chairs, sparkled as she arrived all smiles in a Swarovski gown. Glittering in black with silver gems across her chest and back, Williams said the look was inspired by her legendary tennis career, with the jewels representing the winning silver plate she has on display at a museum. She and husband Andrea Preti were arm in arm as they posed together, even snapping a selfie together before heading inside.

Nicole Kidman, daughter Sunday Rose stun together

Anika Reed

Nicole Kidman, dressed in a red sequined Chanel gown with feathered sleeves, marked the first co-chair of the night to arrive. She posed with her daughter, budding model Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban, 17, smizing for the cameras. Kidman, who recently filed for divorce from husband Keith Urban, said her look represents "vitality" and romance.

Vote for your Met Gala faves with USA TODAY's Style Meter

Edward Segarra

You don't need to be a supermodel or high-end designer to have an eye for fashion.

As the stars hit the red carpet for this year's Met Gala, make your voice heard with the USA TODAY Style Meter, a poll that allows you to weigh in on the hottest looks of the night in real time.

Register (or sign in if you're back for another round) to be an official panelist any time before 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 5. Rate the celebrity outfits on a scale of 1 to 5 and then check back in at 6:30 p.m. ET Tuesday for the top look.

In addition to voting, Style Meter also offers fans a deeper dive on the fashion extravaganza with exclusive videos, including a first-person look at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's "Costume Art" exhibit.

What time does the Met Gala start?

Anika Reed

The Met Gala red carpet usually kicks off once Anna Wintour arrives, which historically happens just before 5:30 p.m. ET. The official Vogue livestream for the event begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 PT.

What is the dress code for Met Gala 2026?

Anika Reed and KiMi Robinson

Working in tandem with the Costume Institute's "Costume Art" exhibit, the dress code for the night is the notably vague "Fashion Is Art," giving attendees (and their stylists) wide range to showcase their interpretations. According to the museum, the dress code invites guests "to express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form and celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout art history."

Early arrivals include Emma Chamberlain, La La Anthony

Anika Reed

Emma Chamberlain, one of the co-hosts of the Vogue livestream, was the first star on the carpet. With four handlers helping her with her dress, she said "Mugler" was the inspiration for her look as she jetted inside. Fellow livestream host La La Anthony, a bronze goddess in a Wiederhoeft gown dripping with jewels, channeled her inner Jessica Rabbit with red hair. She admitted her comfort level was a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10, but she'll be perched at the top of the stairs to greet celebs as they make their way inside.

Met Gala theme focuses on the body

Anika Reed and KiMi Robinson

The 2026 theme for the Met Gala, which corresponds with the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Costume Institute exhibit, is "Costume Art."

The theme will "examine the centrality of the dressed body" by interspersing garments and artwork "to create pairings that not only illuminate the indivisible connection between clothing and the body but also the complex interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an embodied art form." The exhibit will focus on the classical body and the nude body, as well as often-overlooked forms like aging bodies and pregnant bodies, even bringing in the anatomical body to the mix. 

The Costume Institute show also ushers in a new era for the Upper East Side museum, which is opening a new area next to the Great Hall, where the annual spring exhibition will be displayed: the Condé M. Nast Galleries.

Sneak peek at the Met Gala red carpet

Anika Reed

The carpet is officially open, and it’s in full bloom. White wisteria hangs in clusters from the top of the tent, which features an all-over floral pattern, while the white and green carpet is adorned with rustic potted lavender plants at the top of the famed Met steps.

How to watch, stream the 2026 Met Gala

Anika Reed and Edward Segarra

The 2026 Met Gala livestream, helmed by Ashley Graham, La La Anthony and Cara Delevingne, will be hosted exclusively by Vogue (6 p.m. ET/3 PT) on the magazine's official website and across digital platforms, including YouTube and TikTok.

The E! network will air its own red-carpet special from 6-9 p.m. ET/3-6 PT. A separate livestream, beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 PT, will also be available to viewers across E!'s social platforms and on the E! website.

Met Gala 2025 saw Rihanna, Kim Kardashian on the red carpet

Anika Reed

The steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art came to life in 2025 with immaculate suiting, custom couture and inventive takes on tailoring for the night's theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style."

The exhibit – and the evening's dress code, "Tailored for You" – highlighted Black dandyism, and the midnight blue carpet was overflowing with Black excellence all night, including A$AP Rocky, Spike Lee, Janelle Monaé, Usher and more. Highlights were Diana Ross' feathered 18-foot train, Rihanna's reveal of her baby bump and Kim Kardashian's black Chrome Hearts look.

Beyoncé at the Met Gala through the years

Anika Reed and Caché McClay

This Met Gala is certainly not Beyoncé's first rodeo, though this will be the "Cowboy Carter" star's first gala in 10 years.

She made her debut in 2008 and has attended seven times, including in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Her 2026 appearance will mark her eighth time at the event.

Met Gala celebrities: Which stars will be there?

Anika Reed

The co-chairs of the night – Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour – are guaranteed to be in attendance. Honorary co-chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, who hosted an exclusive pre-party over the weekend, will also ascend the stairs.

Zoë Kravitz and Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello are co-chairs of the 2026 Met Gala Host Committee, which includes Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Gwendoline Christie, Alex Consani, Misty Copeland, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Paloma Elsesser, Lisa, Chloe Malle, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor, Lauren Wasser, Anna Weyant, A’ja Wilson, Yseult, Adut Akech, Angela Bassett, Sinéad Burke, Rebecca Hall, Aimee Mullins, Tschabalala Self, Amy Sherald and Chase Sui Wonders.

Also set to attend are Sombr, Tate McCrae, Tessa Thompson, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, while speculation continues around the stars in Beyoncé's orbit, including husband Jay-Z, sister Solange and mom Tina Knowles.

Met Gala hotels: Where do celebrities get ready?

Anika Reed

Nearby New York hotels, including The Carlyle, The Mark, The Pierre and The Lowell, are popular destinations for celebrities to get ready – and for fans to spot them – ahead of the red carpet. Celebrities don their Met Gala finest and exit through a throng of onlookers into a car (or, more often, a sprinter van) to the museum.

When is the Met Gala?

Anika Reed

The Met Gala is held on the first Monday in May, which falls on May 4 this year.

Met Gala theme over the years

Anika Reed

The Costume Institute exhibit has a distinct theme each year that corresponds with the Met Gala. Look back at the past 10 years:

• 2016: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
• 2017: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
• 2018: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
• 2019: Camp: Notes on Fashion
• 2020: About Time: Fashion and Duration (canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic)
• 2021: In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
• 2022: In America: An Anthology of Fashion
• 2023: Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty
• 2024: Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
• 2025: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style