Every May, the steps of the Met become the most coveted runway in the world. “Fashion Is Art”—a theme that was open, bold, and a blank canvas handed to the most powerful names in fashion. Yet, not everyone got the memo. Some looks demand you to stop and think, carrying the kind of artistic conviction that belongs in a gallery, not just a Getty image. Others just wanted to look pretty.
Emma Chamberlain — A+
From hosting the carpet to owning it, Emma stepped onto the carpet in a custom Mugler gown hand-painted by a Chicago artist, Anna Deller-Yee, inspired by Van Gogh, Munch, and the oil paintings she grew up watching her father create. It earned her a spot on every best-dressed list of the night, and for once, the internet unanimously agreed.
Beyoncé — A
As co-chair, Queen Bey had every right to arrive last, and she made every second worth the wait. She arrived in a diamond skeleton gown, a feathered coat trailing behind her and Blue Ivy by her side, making her Met debut at just 14. It was her first Met Gala appearance in three years, and she chose to make it a family affair, reminding everyone exactly why her absence is always felt.
Bhavitha Mandava — C
What appeared to be a white tank, faded denim, and a zip-up sent the internet into a spiral—and honestly, the internet had a point. Yes, the look was a 250-hr haute couture creation, but in 2026, on her debut, representing a house as iconic as Chanel, this reads less as a statement and more as a convenience. In ten years’ time, this would’ve stopped the internet. Right now, it just looks like Chanel saved their imagination for the runway and didn’t care about the Met. She did, however, give us the ICONIC bathroom selfie of the year—Margot Robbie, Ayo Edebiri, and all four BLACKPINK members in one frame. That one belongs in a museum.
The Kardashian-Jenners — C+
Kim wore a custom structured orange breastplate by Allen Jones and Whitaker Malen, sculpted and architectural, the kind of look that blurs the line between fashion and three-dimensional art. Kylie arrived in a barely-there Schiaparelli nude bodysuit, provocative and polished. And then there was Kendall, who had arguably the most conceptually rich look of the entire family—a tea-dried ivory GapStudio gown inspired by the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Greek goddess that greets visitors at the Louvre, with massive angel wings featuring a photographic print of the actual statue. The concept was stunning, the reference was impeccable, and the execution was almost perfect—except she walked the carpet without the wings, only revealing them inside the party. Three looks, three different levels of artistic ambition, and one missed opportunity.
Bad Bunny — B
While everyone else spent months in fittings, consultations, and carefully curated creative briefs, Bad Bunny showed up in Zara, aged by prosthetics into what appeared to be a man in his seventies, and somehow walked away as one of the most talked-about looks of the night. On a carpet around the spectacle and excess, showing up in a thirty-dollar outfit and a face full of aging makeup was the most subversive, most intentional thing anyone could have done. Instead of dressing up for the theme, he became a commentary on it. Fashion as disguise, fashion as a satire, fashion as a joke that nobody saw coming. No prestige house, no months of preparation, just a man, a Zara rack, and the most unexpected statement of the night.
Sabine Getty — A
Sabine did not come to be admired. She came to be remembered. A sheer tattered overlay over a nude bodice detailed with hyper-realistic anatomical illustrations of hands; the whole effect is somewhere between haute couture and a Francis Bacon painting. The internet called it a zombie look. Francis Bacon would have called it a masterpiece, and we’re definitely siding with him.
Heidi Klum — A+
While others wore art, Heidi literally became it. A complete head-to-toe prosthetic transformation inspired by Rafaelle Monti’s Veiled Vestal and Giuseppe Sanmartino’s Veiled Christ, with gray contacts, painted hands and face, and a full-body latex and spandex costume that made her indistinguishable from the marble statues she was channeling. Prosthetic makeup artist Mike Marino called it one of his hardest designs he had ever created. Klum called it “a piece of fine art, reimagined in motion.” Proof, if any is needed, that the loudest statement doesn’t always need the most color.
Skepta — D
The concept was there. A white suit with every single one of his tattoos embroidered onto the fabric, turning his own body into the artwork. On paper, deeply personal—a man wearing his own skin, his own story, his own art. In reality, the execution looked unfinished in a room where “unfinished” is unforgivable. Great idea. Wrong night to half-commit.
Zendaya, Billie Eilish — DNS (Did Not Show)
Two of the most anticipated names on any Met Gala guest list, and neither of them showed up. Zendaya was busy juggling press tours for Euphoria Season 3. Billie was deep in press for her upcoming concert film. Valid reasons for both, but on a night where fashion needed its heavyweights, their absence left a gap no couture could fill. The Met returns every first Monday of May. So do our expectations. 2027, don’t let us down.
The theme was Fashion Is Art. Some wore it. Some became it. Some missed it entirely. And some didn’t even show up. But that, perhaps, is the beauty of the Met Gala—it holds up a mirror to fashion, to culture, and to the people who inhabit both and asks them to be more than beautiful. Not everyone passed the exam, but those who did made the whole exam worth showing up for. Class dismissed.