14 Incredible 2026 Met Gala Red Carpet Looks That Were Like Living Works of Art

I knew the 2026 Met Gala red carpet best-dressed list would be a challenge to narrow down. It's partially the guest list's fault: The only other time names like Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Zoë Kravitz are in the same room, it's the Oscars or the Grammys—and those carpets don't host nearly as many VIPs at once. But the real culprit in making my job as Marie Claire US's senior fashion editor a tough one is the 2026 Met Gala dress code.

To correspond with this year's Costume Institute exhibit, "Costume Art," the co-chairs asked guests to consider "Fashion Is Art" their guiding styling principle. This guaranteed a Met Gala red carpet best-dressed list full of artistry and exquisite detail—but definitely not a universal interpretation of the evening's defining theme. Some guests focused on the exhibit's emphasis on celebrating the ties between the anatomical human form and art (hello, Beyonce's subversive naked dress); others tapped their favourite designers for stroke-for-stroke recreations of pieces first created on a painting's canvas. Sabrina Carpenter abandoned paintings and sculptures entirely, instead putting her spin on Old Hollywood with a Dior dress literally crafted from film. Then there's Rihanna: the latest Met Gala red carpet entry who shut down the event in a Maison Margiela gown so gilded, it would make Gustav Klimt's "Woman in Gold" jealous.

After spending hours poring over every Met Gala red-carpet arrival, I can say the following 14 looks are living works of art. Catch up on each of Marie Claire's picks for best-dressed below.

Beyoncé wearing custom Olivier Rousteing

She's baaaaaack! Beyoncé's return to the Met Gala red carpet after a ten-year hiatus would have earned a best-dressed ranking no matter what she wore. Still, Marie Claire's fashion editors were speechless when the singer pulled up in a custom Olivier Rousteing creation resembling a bedazzled skeleton, topped by an extra-long feather cape.

The sheer level of sparkle—and Beyoncé's arrival with husband Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy—is headline-worthy on their own. But as the co-chair explained in her official red carpet interview, there's more meaning than a dazzling first impression. Beyoncé said she chose to work with Rousteing given the many times he's championed her music over the years, from custom tour outfits to designing her Black Is King costumes. As for the skeleton motif? It's her way of "celebrating whatever God gave you." Amen to that.

Nicole Kidman wearing Chanel

Nicole Kidman didn't need to comb through the Met's vast archives for a red carpet reference. Instead, she and stylist Jason Bolden tapped Matthieu Blazy's Chanel for a bespoke dress that suggested she is the work of art. Vogue says the bright red sequins are a nod to "the Big Apple," aka the setting for tonight's major event. Between the fiery shade and the sequins pouring over her frame like liquid, I'd say the real homage is to Kidman herself—owning her seventh Met Gala red carpet like she belongs on display.

Doechii wearing Marc Jacobs

Don't mistake Doechii's second-ever Met Gala red carpet look for just another twist on the naked dress. Working with Marc Jacobs, the star took a definitive turn from last year's glamouratti Gucci suit while staying true to her style DNA. "I wanted to go with something human and grounded," she explained of the sinuous purple wrap—and the unexpected move to go barefoot.

Zoë Kravitz wearing Saint Laurent

Zoë Kravitz has worn several Met Gala red-carpet dresses designed by Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent. But this year's took her penchant for semi-sheer dressing in a refreshingly new direction, mixing a Victorian pannier skirt with decidedly modern, see-through lace. If this is a hint at the newly-engaged Kravitz's bridal style, I'm here for it. (If only she'd let us glimpse her diamond engagement ring on the carpet...)

Sabrina Carpenter wearing Dior

Turns out, "Sabrinawood" wasn't just a Coachella costuming phase—it was a hint at the pop star's upcoming 2026 Met Gala red carpet dress. Sabrina Carpenter and stylist Jared Ellner reunited with Dior for one of the night's most personalized twists on the "Fashion Is Art" dress code. Carpenter's glossy gown is actually constructed from rows and rows of film, all pulled from the 1954 Audrey Hepburn classic Sabrina.

Emma Chamberlain wearing custom Mugler

Emma Chamberlain was the first guest to arrive at the 2026 Met Gala red carpet, and the first to ace the theme. She teamed up with Mugler creative director Miguel Castro Freitas on a gown resembling a palette mid-painting session. The skirt's layers (and layers!) of chiffon paid homage to the process of creating art as much as the finished project—which, in Chamberlain's case, could easily go on display. Later on in the evening, this gown transformed into a neat, knee-length sheath.

Chase Sui Wonders wearing McQueen

A Met Gala red carpet debut becomes part of a star's fashion legacy. Chase Sui Wonders decided hers with this regal McQueen dress. It toes the line between red carpet risk-taking and gala benefit elegance, thanks to its semi-sheer fabric and artful, oversized bow perched on her shoulder.

Teyana Taylor wearing Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann

Some of the gowns on our best-dressed list celebrated art that froze a moment in time. Teyana Taylor, on the other hand, decided to emphasize the body in motion with her fringed Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann dress. The silver tinsel poured off her dress and matching cap like liquid metal—and as she swished up the Met Gala steps, I couldn't help wishing for a slow-mo video of her ascent.

Laufey wearing Tory Burch

Sometimes, you need a dose of minimalism amid the Met Gala fashion madness. Grammy-winner Laufey made the best-dressed list by setting aside her usual retro style and honing in on a streamlined, almost bridal Tory Burch dress. It's woven from a cream-and-silver brocade, with a matching drawstring bag. She's the calm in the Met Gala storm—and inspo for brides-to-be up and down the red carpet.

Alex Consani wearing Gucci

Plenty of stars interpreted the "Fashion Is Art" dress code to mean half-undressing on the Met Gala red carpet, including both Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner. But supermodel-on-the-rise Alex Consani is the one whose take deserves a second shout-out here. Her Gucci dress is Demna's first Met Gala creation for the house, one that brought the same zest as Consani's signature backstage soundbites. Her description? "A lot of feathers, a lot of tinsel, a lot of energy." I felt it even through the screen.

Hailey Bieber wearing Saint Laurent

I know, I know: Hailey Bieber and Saint Laurent have been Met Gala dates for several years now. But it's worth commending the Rhode mogul for branching out of her LBD mold and into something more experimental: a golden breastplate set against a skirt and chiffon cape drenched in archival YSL "majorelle" blue. If the armour up top looks like it's precisely fit to Bieber's measurements, that's because it's a bit of red carpet metallurgy magic: "It's a real sculpting to my body," she confirmed.

Paloma Elsesser wearing Bureau of Imagination by Francesco Risso

It takes a true fashion insider like Paloma Elsesser to do the homework on a noteworthy Met Gala red-carpet gown. To make this year's best-dressed list, she and Francesco Risso of Bureau of Imagination didn't settle for simply cutting a piece of fabric. Together, she said, "We sourced from eBay using 100 dresses from the 20s, 30s, and 40s." Given all the work that went into constructing it, "I am so proud to wear this," Elsesser said.

Chase Infiniti wearing Thom Browne

Presenting another Met Gala red carpet debut attendee who's making the best-dressed list on her first try. Armed with styling duo Wayman + Micah and the surrealist paint strokes of her Thom Browne dress, One Battle After Another and The Testaments breakout star Chase Infiniti proved her run of awards season red carpets was just the start of cementing her fashion legacy.

Rihanna wearing Maison Margiela by Glenn Martens

Some Met Gala best-dressed entries are better late than never, Rihanna's most of all. After the livestream had officially wrapped, the Fenty Beauty mogul departed from her hotel in a crinkly Maison Margiela by Glenn Martens Fall 2025 look. In a previous interview with Marie Claire, Martens told us he designs with the intention of getting people to do a double take—wondering what the hell, exactly, they're looking at. The reigning queen of the Met Gala definitely upheld Martens's very specific legacy in her metallic cocoon, which unfolded to reveal a bodice absolutely dripping with embellishments.