Met Gala red carpet 2026: Standout celebrity looks from Beyoncé, Hudson Williams and others | Canada Voices

This year’s Met Gala ticked every box of excess, from the staggering wealth of its billionaire donors to near-impenetrable exclusivity, with tickets reportedly reaching $100,000 USD – if you’re on Anna Wintour’s invite list.

Yet beyond the paparazzi flashes, bold-faced names and inevitable The Devil Wears Prada 2 parallels, something shifted. Criticism of the event reached a new high, driven largely by the prominence of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as the evening’s key donors.

The association – which detractors linked to corporate excess, worker exploitation and the commodification of cultural capital – sparked backlash both online and offline. Golden Globe–winning actress Taraji P. Henson was one among several stars who reposted an anti-Met, anti-Bezos story on Instagram, while activists plastered giant posters across Manhattan calling for the city to “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala.”

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that he would not be attending. Instead, his office released portraits of six local fashion professionals (tailor and union organizer Christopher Anderson and former Amazon delivery employee and Delivery Protection Act activist Latrice Johnson among them) to spotlight a side of the industry that’s rarely seen. Adding to the scrutiny, unverified reports circulating online suggested that high-profile celebrities such as Zendaya and Meryl Streep opted not to attend.

Then there’s the gala’s “Costume Art” theme. While it may have suggested a more classical approach to dressing, a new generation of stylish voices shone on the red carpet. Model Alex Consani and Canadian actor Hudson Williams brought chic, avant-garde looks to the steps. Meanwhile, newcomer Chase Infiniti held her own alongside mainstays such as co-chairs Beyoncé and Nicole Kidman.

Here are 16 looks that commanded attention.

Zoë Kravitz

Wearing one of the night’s most talked-about accessories on her finger – a Jessica McCormack-designed engagement ring from Harry Styles, which she kept tucked into her pocket – the actor, director, producer and gala co-chair chose Saint Laurent to complement the viral-worthy piece.

Doja Cat

Wrapped in a luminous beige Saint Laurent gown, Doja Cat didn’t just show up – she refracted. The look caught the light at just the right angles, slicing through a sea of formalwear. Sculpted in silicone, the singer’s wearable architecture felt in-sync with the night’s art-meets-fashion theme.

Nicole Kidman

As one of the first arrivals and a co-chair of the event, Kidman chose a hot-flash red Chanel sequin-and-feather drop-waist gown. The look subtly echoed the deep rose palettes of her earlier films Moulin Rouge and Dead Calm.

Janelle Monáe

A striking red carpet moment blending H.R. Giger’s surreal biomechanical art with the emotional weight of Edvard Munch’s paintings, Janelle Monáe’s Christian Siriano look fused nature and tech into a future-looking statement. As usual, Monáe’s ensemble is one of the few that went above and beyond the call of the dress code.

Paul Anthony Kelly

Fresh from his standout performance as JFK Jr. in FX’s Love Story, Canadian actor Paul Anthony Kelly – representing Port McNicoll, Ontario – didn’t go full costume drama with his Dior look. Yet the sharp fit and added bling still make him one of the best-dressed men of the night.

Lisa

Blurring the line between performance and sculpture, the singer and actor transformed into a 3D-printed vision of herself, captured by designer Robert Wun through scans of her arms in traditional Thai dance poses. Stylist Brett Nelson completed the concept with Bulgari diamonds and told E! Network that the look was intended to mimic a work of art that’s frozen in time.

Hailey Bieber

Stunning the paparazzi in a Saint Laurent gown featuring a 24-karat gold bustier and an azure blue silhouette, evoking Gustav Klimt’s gilded opulence and the seaside inspiration of Greek artist Maria Filopoulou. The bold contrast, paired with her minimal hair and makeup, brought a striking clarity to the chaotic red carpet.

Alex Consani

Leave it to one of today’s most sought-after models to choose a look that’s both a showstopper and a runway closer. Her Gucci ensemble – featuring a long black feathered train – echoes the boldness she brings to her career. She’s one of the youngest openly trans models to achieve international attention.

Yseult

Famous for her soulful performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony – as well as her outstanding fashion choices such as collaborating with Schiaparelli and Dior – the French singer-songwriter showed up at the Met Gala in an exhibit-worthy custom look by Harris Reed.

Hudson Williams

Still riding the Heated Rivalry wave and amid filming culinary drama Tyrant (also starring Demi Moore, Charlize Theron and Omar Apollo), Williams’s Met appearance saw him step into yet another role. His Balenciaga matador look in black and powder blue is an ensemble that Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera would have been proud of.

Sabrina Carpenter

Made with film strips and diamonds, this mixed-media look by Dior combines Carpenter’s pop princess persona with the sensuality of her recent collaborator, Madonna. It also continues her recent trajectory of echoing Bob Mackie’s archive.

Doechii

Hot on the heels of “Runway,” her slick duet with Lady Gaga featured in The Devil Wears Prada 2, Doechii’s sultry Marc Jacobs look epitomizes her sensual fashion philosophy. The headdress alone deserves a few rounds of applause.

Chase Infiniti

Still basking in the glory of her performance in One Battle After Another, Infiniti upped the ante on her fashion game in a Thom Browne dress that reimagined a woman’s figure in peacock hues. The look may foreshadow the sartorial risks she’ll be taking on the premiere circuit for her upcoming film The Julia Set.

Audrey Nuna

Channeling the spontaneity and frenetic energy of a Jackson Pollock painting, Nuna elevated her red-carpet streak with an unmissable Robert Wun look. Her raven-coloured lipstick and matching hat added just the right amount of theatrics for the night’s theme.

Sarah Paulson

Wearing cold hard cash over her eyes, Paulson’s grey tulle look may be the most political of the night. It’s not-so-subtle dig at the evening’s major donors comes courtesy of Canada’s Matières Fécales, creators of “The One Percent” collection – a pointed commentary on dirty money and the problems with billionaire taste and style.

Beyoncé

After waiting a decade before stepping back onto the Met steps, the R&B monarch made her arrival a royal moment in a glittering skeletal gown by Olivier Rousteing. The sparkling outfit was paired with a feathered cape and glittering bone-inspired crown. The star broke her streak of wearing Givenchy on the gala’s red carpet and shouting out the brand in her 2016 hit “Formation.”