The Met Gala is one of the biggest nights in fashion. It is where your favorite celebrities come together with some of fashion’s biggest celebrities and designers. The Met is hosted to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City, marking the opening of the institute’s spring fashion exhibition.
This year’s Met Gala theme is “Costume Art” with the dress code being “Fashion is Art”. This theme focuses on celebrating fashion as a high art form, treating clothing as sculptural gallery-worthy pieces rather than just apparel. This year’s Met Gala brought back some of the biggest names in the industry from Beyoncé and Rihanna’s longtime comeback to the Kardashians and the Hadids year after year with amazing looks. Here are my picks for the best and worst dressed celebrities of the night, along with a few honorable mentions.
BEST DRESSED:
Emma Chamberlain: Host, Influencer
Emma Chamberlain. A custom dress made by Miguel Castro Freitas from Mugler. Her dress was hand painted by fine artist Anna Deller-Yee over the course of 40 hours. The flowing bottom of the dress resembled melting artwork in the best way. The structured top balances the look nicely.
Audrey Nuna: Singer, Actress
This was Audrey Nuna’s first Met Gala and she did it beautifully. Her gown was designed by Robert Wun. The gown nicknamed ‘The Pigment’ featured over 15,000 black Swarovski crystals that were arranged to look like stain patterns. This look reminds me of calligraphy pens and ink. The monochromatic design paired beautifully with the spring-themed carpet and gave main-character energy.
Janelle Monáe: Singer, Actor
Janelle Monae should be in the hall of fame of Met Gala looks, every year, she brings something new and eye-catching. Designed by Christian Siriano, her gown was created with the theme of fashion is art. The look blended nature and technology with succulents, moss, mechanical butterflies and electrical cables. She is the embodiment of avant-garde fashion. The look gives strong Frutiger Aero vibes in the best way possible.
Paloma Elsesser: Model
This dress feels like a Renaissance painting in the best way possible. This dress was designed by Francesco Risso from his new project ‘Bureau of Imagination’. The sustainable dress was made from recycled garments from the 1920s to 1940s in a patchwork style. The reworked materials made the dress even more impressive. The soft details made the look feel artistic while still remaining elegant. Overall this look is really pretty.
SZA: Singer, Actor
The butterfly-inspired details felt very on-brand for SZA and the wing sleeves were as well. With over 100 yards of vintage fabrics, tapestries and beaded appliques designed by Emma Adams Bode Aujla of BODE and their collaboration with eBay brought this amazing look to life. This gown feels very true to SZA’s style.
WORST DRESSED:
Kris Jenner: Internet Personality
The kimono-inspired look didn’t fully connect with the theme and felt disconnected from the more artistic looks of the night. The kimono was designed by Dolce and Gabbana to match the theme of the Met. Compared to her previous Met Gala appearances, the look felt less polished and memorable.
Beyonce: singer, actress
While the look is visually striking, it feels visually familiar and lacks the innovation expected from Beyoncé at an event centered around artistic expression. The structured silhouette and embellishments echo many of her previous stage looks, making the design feel more performance-ready than conceptually aligned with the “Fashion is Art” theme.
Katy Perry: Singer
The astronaut-inspired headpiece feels more costume-like than artistic, and the overall look lacks the creativity expected from the “Fashion is Art” theme. Compared to other attendees who embraced bold and artistic designs, this outfit feels surprisingly underwhelming.
Kim Kardashian: Reality Star
While the look attempts a futuristic, robotic aesthetic, the inconsistent materials and lack of cohesion make the outfit seem unfinished rather than intentionally artistic. The design also struggles to align with the “Fashion is Art” theme, as it emphasizes spectacle without a clear conceptual foundation.
Lauren Sanchez Bezos: Journalist and Businesswoman
The gown lacks the sculptural or conceptual elements expected from the “Fashion is Art” theme, making it feel more like a traditional red carpet look rather than a piece of wearable art. Unlike other attendees who incorporated bold textures, unique structures, or symbolic design elements, this look remains visually simple and does not push creative boundaries.
Honorable Mentions:
Sarah Paulson: Actress
Sarah Paulson delivered a dramatic yet elegant look that balanced vintage glamour with modern structure. The silhouette felt theatrical in the best way while still fitting the ‘Fashion is Art’ theme. It was one of the biggest statement looks of the night.
Naomi Osaka: Tennis Player
Naomi Osaka’s look blended soft femininity with high-fashion creativity. The soft colors and detailed styling made the look stand out and feel youthful, artistic, and perfectly suited for the Met Gala carpet.
Sabrina Carpenter: Actress, Singer
Sabrina Carpenter embraced old Hollywood glamour with a playful modern twist. The look was polished, chic, and effortlessly eye-catching without overpowering the theme.