A BREAKDOWN OF THIS YEAR’S MET GALA THEME “FASHION IS ART”
WRITTEN BY: AVERY CARL
Back in July 2025, Anna Wintour announced that she was stepping down as Vogue’s global editorial director as well as Conde Nast’s global chief content officer - a title she picked up in 2020, which entails overseeing all of its global titles, including Vanity Fair, Wired, GQ, Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, and Conde Nast Traveler.
Wintour was known for her fearlessness wit Vogue’s covers; the shift that came with her appointment was very clear, changing the landscape of the magazine for the better. Her first cover featured Israeli model Michaela Bercu in stonewashed jeans - it was the first time jeans appeared on a Vogue cover.
Since that first cover , Wintour began taking more risks, including breaking a 100-year old Vogue tradition by featuring Richard Gere, a man, on a cover in 1992. Vogue flourished under her leadership and continues to be a force within the fashion community. It transitioned into the digital era effortlessly and remains one of the most influential magazines of the 21st century.
Since her infamous debut, Vogue and Wintour became synonymous. It wasn’t long after that, in 1995, that she was named a co-chair of the Met Gala, the most prominent event in the fashion industry.
The Met Gala also has a host committee to help the event run smoothly. This year, according to Vogue, it includes co-chairs Anthony Vaccarello and Zoe Kravitz, along with members Adut Akech, Angela Bassett, Sinead Burke, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Gwendoline Christie, Misty Copeland, Alex Consani, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Paloma Elsesser, Rebecca Hall, LISA, Chloe Malle, Aimee Mullins, Amy Sheral, Tschabalala Self, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor, Anna Wayant, Lauren Wasser, A’ja Wilson, Chase Sui Wonders, and Yseult. As lead sponsors, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos will serve as honorary chairs.
Though Wintour doesn’t directly choose the theme for each Met Gala, she has played a major role in making it a night of unforgettable looks, moments, and culture - turning a fundraiser into a phenomenon. The event has transcended its original purpose, which was to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute to preserve historic garments and organize world-class fashion exhibitions. In 2025, the museum reported it raised $31 million - the highest amount in the event’s 77-year history.
This year’s Met Gala is set for Monday, May 4, with the theme “Fashion is Art.” As usual, the theme aligns with the museum’s upcoming exhibition at the new 12,000-square-foot- Conde M. Nast Galleries, set to open on Sunday May 10, titled “Costume Art,” which explores dress and costume over 5,000 years.
According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website, the exhibition will explore depictions of the dressed body across the museum’s vast collection. Garments will be paired with artworks to reveal the relationship between clothing and the body, focusing primarily on Western art from prehistory to the present.
Similarly, for the Met Gala, attendees are encouraged to treat their bodies like a canvas for fashion, with looks centered even more heavily on fashion than usual.
The 2026 Met Gala theme is a bit more open-ended than in previous years. It’s most similar to the infamous 2019 “camp” theme, which saw celebrities dress in everything from a simple black suit to a full chandelier dress worn by Katy Perry. There’s a lot to work with, so it’ll be interesting to see how everyone interprets it.
As usual, some major names are expected to attend. There are typically around 450 guests, thought the official list is kept tightly under wraps until that first Monday in May - good thing it’s right around the corner.
Photo: The announcement posted by Vogue to in February - Vogue.
