Met Gala 2026 transformed the red carpet into a living museum. Under the theme Fashion is Art, celebrities and designers reinterpreted iconic paintings, sculptures, and films through couture, turning each look into a visual statement. From Van Gogh-inspired textures to classical marble illusions, here are the most striking outfits and the artworks behind them.

Met Gala 2026 Theme: Fashion as Art on the Red Carpet

Met Gala 2026 organizers asked, and guests delivered. This year’s theme, Fashion is Art, has inspired stylists and celebrities who put together an unforgettable show on the stairs of the prestigious Costume Institute on May 4th. The focus of the event was the intersection between art and fashion, and how the latter can be interpreted as an art form. Before the event, Hypercritic speculated on possible inspirations for the stars’ outfits and shared a retrospective on artworks that have inspired stylists in the past, from Dalí to Dior.

We now have all our answers. Let’s discover the designers and celebrities who delivered on the brief!

Rachel Zegler’s Look Inspired by The Execution of Lady Jane Grey

Sarah Slutshy styled Musical actress Rachel Zegler (Snow White, West Side Story, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), taking direct inspiration from the art of the 1800s. With her eyes covered and a candid corset, the outfit was a perfect quote of Paule Delaroche‘s painting The Execution of Lady Jane Grey.

The oil on canvas from 1833 portrays the last moments of the life of the “Nine Days Queen”, who was proclaimed queen of England on 10 July 1553, only to be deposed and executed nine days later.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Dior Dress Inspired by the Film Sabrina

One of the performers of the event, pop star Sabrina Carpenter wore custom Dior on the red carpet. She delivered a playful interpretation of the theme, with a dress made of a replica of the actual film of the 1954 movie Sabrina, by Billy Wilder.

Her choice pays homage to an epitome of grace and style, such as Audrey Hepburn, with whom she shares the same levity and cheerful performance.

Emma Chamberlain’s Mugler Look and Van Gogh Inspirations

Socialite and influencer Emma Chamberlain stepped on the other side of the red carpet to offer one of the most stunning outfits of the Met Gala 2026. Her long dress by Mugler was a waterfall of color, where the different brush strokes could be perceived in 3D. This is a clear homage to Impressionists, and particularly to Van Gogh‘s art.

Heidi Klum’s Chanel Outfit and the Illusion of Marble Sculpture

Among the most striking outfits at the Met Gala 2026 was Heidi Klum‘s look: the model appeared as a veiled vestal, covered in a daring Chanel head-to-toe outfit. Klum’s dedication to fashion and art is total: long known for her Halloween costumes, the model went all out on the Met’s big evening. “My inspiration started from the museum itself – the model explained to Vanity Fair – and Raphael Monti‘s sculptures from the 1800s. The result is this dress, which is sort of an illusion because it recreates the marble effect with foam and latex”.

Despite the extreme look, Klum said that her outfit was actually warm and comfortable.

Kendall Jenner and the Winged Victory of Samothrace Reference

Model and entrepreneurs Kendall and Kylie Jenner chose outfits that featured several reminders of each other. The first is a custom GapStudio look by Zac Posen, who reportedly started with a GAP t-shirt to achieve a refined, layered look, with foldable angel wings (which she took off on the red carpet). The inspiration comes from a classical art masterpiece: it’s from the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue, showcased in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Kylie at the Met Gala 2026 and the Schiaparelli Dress Inspired by Aphrodite

Her sister, Kylie Jenner, did the same with a sophisticated custom Schiaparelli that drew inspiration from the Aphrodite of Melos, an ancient Greek marble sculpture from the Hellenistic period.

Madonna gives life to Leonora Carrington’s The Temptation of Saint Anthony

Madonna’s entrance at the Met Gala 2026 was a real tableau vivant taken from Leonora Carrington‘s art. The Material Girl showed up in a floor-sweeping Saint Laurent black, witchy gown, carried by seven companions. On the top of her head, a ghost ship.

The dark, veiled gown brought to life a detail from The Temptation of Saint Anthony, a 1947 painting by surrealist artist Leonora Carrington, which had also inspired the pop star’s Bedtime Story video in the past.