The Met Gala takes place next week—here's what we know about the dress code.

      The first Monday in May is almost here, signaling the approach of fashion's Super Bowl. It's the most significant night for the best-dressed individuals globally and a favorite event for us as armchair critics. While it's enjoyable to stroll up the Met's carpeted stairs, it's also a thrill to watch from the comfort of your couch. (We speak from experience.) Although it's nearly impossible to accurately predict what anyone will wear—since the guest list is famously kept under wraps until the actual night—it's still entertaining to contemplate possibilities based on the limited information available.

      Last November, we attended a preview at The Met, where we discovered that the theme for this year's exhibition would be Costume Art. Months later, we found out that the dress code would be Fashion Is Art.

      What Is the Met Gala 2026 Exhibition Theme? Per the museum's press release, "The show will explore the significance of the dressed body, pairing garments with artwork from the Museum’s extensive collection to highlight the inseparable link between clothing and the body, as well as the intricate relationship between artistic representations of the body and fashion as a tangible art form." The exhibition will be open from May 10 to January 10.

      What Is the Met Gala 2026 Dress Code? The theme of the exhibition and the dress code are never the same, but the latter is designed to enhance what is displayed at the museum. Guests have been invited to "express their own relationship to fashion as a tangible art form and celebrate the numerous representations of the dressed body throughout art history." We anticipate seeing a significant presence of the Comme des Garçons spring 1997 Lumps and Bumps collection, which was featured in the preview.