The dress code for this year’s #MetGala was “Fashion is Art” — and with hundreds of years of art and fashion to pull from, guests interpreted the theme through a wide range of looks. Here are some of the most memorable. 🪶🫧🖐💎

 

The dress code for this year’s #MetGala was “Fashion is Art” — and with hundreds of years of art and fashion to pull from, guests interpreted the theme through a wide range of looks. Here are some of the most memorable. 🪶🫧🖐💎 pic.twitter.com/TESJnJWXOO

— TIME (@TIME) May 5, 2026

 TIME's X post shares a video roundup of standout looks from the 2026 Met Gala, themed "Fashion is Art". 

The dress code encouraged guests to draw from centuries of art and fashion history, resulting in dramatic, artistic interpretations—think feathery designs, illusion effects, moss-like textures, sculptural elements, and bold accessories featuring celebrities like Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, Kylie Jenner, Madonna, and others. Public ReactionThe replies to the post are largely critical and mocking. Common themes include:

• "Weird" or "monstrous" outfits that feel more like shock value or Halloween costumes than high art.
• Comparisons to the Hunger Games Capitol — out-of-touch elites flaunting excess.
• Accusations of narcissism, elitism, and waste amid real-world issues.
• Specific jabs at certain looks (e.g., Madonna looking eerie, various "ugly" or revealing designs).

Many viewers expressed confusion or disappointment, with comments like "self-indulgent weirdness," "not beautiful," or questioning why these people get so much attention. Overall, while the Met Gala always aims for spectacle and conversation, this year's artistic theme seems to have polarized audiences even more than usual—praised by fashion insiders for creativity, but widely seen as tone-deaf or ridiculous by the broader public online.