The Louvre called. They want their art back

The Met Gala’s 2026 edition had no shortage of controversy, with major boycotts over the Bezos family’s involvement casting a long shadow over the evening. But the A-listers who did show up made it count. Amid the naked dresses and lukewarm looks that left the internet unmoved, a handful of guests truly rose to the occasion, treating the ‘Fashion is Art’ dress code not as a suggestion but as a creative brief. Art history degrees were, for once, put to excellent use. Here are the looks that really put the ‘ode’ in the dress code.

Madonna

The Queen of Pop made a dramatic return to the Met’s steps in a gothic ensemble by Saint Laurent, accompanied by seven attendants who held on to the pop star’s grey veil. To complete the look, she wore a headpiece shaped like a ship in a storm by Philip Treacy. The look was a direct reference to British-born Mexican Surrealist painter Leonora Carrington’s ‘The Temptation of St Anthony’ from 1947, specifically the figure of the Queen of Sheba carrying a horn and surrounded by her attendants. The painting sold at auction at Sotheby's in 2021 for close to $2 million.

Kendall Jenner

After gifting America the Statue of Liberty in 1884, the French decided it was a good time to share yet another monument with them in 2026. Or not? While that might not entirely hold true, it didn’t stop Kendall Jenner from emulating the ‘Winged Victory of Samothrace’. Jenner joined forces with Zac Posen at Gap to recreate one of the greatest surviving masterpieces of ancient Greece, currently housed at the Louvre in Paris. The sculpture depicts Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, alighting on the prow of a ship. Posen tried to create the wind-blown effect of the marble sculpture using a soft cotton-viscose mix with satin-face chiffon and organza.

Kim Kardashian

Expect Kim Kardashian to be all “body ody ody” wherever she goes. The Met was no exception. This time, she teamed up with British pop artist Allen Jones, infamous for his ‘Furniture’ series from 1969, which showcased fibreglass sculptures of women in fetishwear posing as pieces of furniture. The reality star and artist created a fibreglass breastplate inspired by Jones’s ‘Body Armour’, which was previously seen on Kate Moss and was also on display at the Royal Academy of Arts. The piece itself was finished at an auto body shop.

Alex Consani

It truly was Alex Consani’s night. Not only was she the first trans woman to host the Met Gala, she also wowed in a number by Gucci by Demna. For her look, the creative director took inspiration from Sandro Botticelli's ‘Primavera’. One of the most-analysed pieces of Western art, the painting showcases the Three Graces, Mercury, Flora, Chloris, Zephyr, and a central Venus. For Consani’s look, Demna zeroed in on Chloris, goddess of spring and flowers, who is depicted being kidnapped by Zephyrus, the god of the west wind. As Chloris transforms into the goddess Flora, Consani’s look showcased a metamorphosis of its own, as she stepped onto the red carpet in a white cape before discarding it to reveal a gown with a skirt and train covered in black feathers.

Colman Domingo

Seldom one to disappoint, Colman Domingo brought all the colour to the Met’s steps with Valentino. His look, inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat's ‘Dinosaur’, served as a metaphor for obsolescence and extinction, reading as a commentary on race, power, and who gets written out of history.

Heidi Klum

The Queen of Halloween reminded us why she has the title by dressing up as the ‘Veiled Vestal Virgin’ by Raffaele Monti. Created by Mike Marino, the look used latex and spandex to create the effect of stone as seen on the actual sculpture

Chase Infiniti

The ‘Venus de Milo’ was a hot topic on the red carpet, with the likes of Kylie Jenner taking inspiration from the ancient Greek marble statue discovered on the island of Milos in 1820. But no one did it as well as Chase Infiniti in Thom Browne. The One Battle After Another actor made her Met debut in a dress that featured over 1.5 million sequins in 600 shades, intricately layered to create the texture of marble.

Cardi B

Trust Cardi B to serve even while being sick. The singer turned up at the red carpet in a custom Marc Jacobs number inspired by German Surrealist artist Hans Bellmer’s work, which mainly focused on disjointed dolls. The dress featured exaggerated padded proportions on the shoulders and at the hem.

Rachel Zegler

Dressed by Prabal Gurung for her Met Gala debut, Rachel Zegler channelled Lady Jane Grey from Paul Delaroche’s 1833 painting ‘The Execution of Lady Jane Grey’. Currently on display at the National Gallery in London, the painting depicts the last moments before the execution of Lady Jane Grey, who served as Queen of England for all of nine days.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

No one loved scandal and drama quite like French socialite Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau. Her portrait, painted by John Singer Sargent and titled ‘Portrait of Madame X’, inspired Huntington-Whiteley's Burberry look by Daniel Lee. The portrait caused quite an uproar when it was first revealed—it showed Gautreau’s exposed shoulder—that the artist had to rework the painting with both straps firmly positioned on her frame. For the recreation, Huntington-Whiteley settled for a burnt umber gown with a beaded bodice and a silk tulle skirt. Others who tried to recreate the scandalous painting this year included Lauren Sánchez Bezos in a blue satin gown by Schiaparelli as well as Claire Foy in a Erdem x Barbour gown and a red-lipped Julianne Moore who wore Bottega Veneta.

Ananya Birla

While Ananya Birla's Robert Wun ensemble truly fit the brief, it was her face mask created by artist Subodh Gupta that really turned heads on the red carpet. Gupta is known for using domestic objects such as steel utensils and tiffin boxes in his art, and that's exactly what he used to create the mask for Birla's outfit. Layered carefully and with precision, the mask is a thing of beauty. Gupta was also credited for the ‘mango’ that Isha Ambani was spotted carrying on the Met Gala’s steps.

Karan Johar

Known for his love of maximalism, it comes as no surprise that filmmaker Karan Johar chose Manish Malhotra for his Met Gala debut. Highlighting Indian craftsmanship and inspired by the artwork of Raja Ravi Varma, the look featured zardozi borders and hand-painted motifs across the bodice. The borders also used rubberised bases layered together to give the outfit a sculptural feel.