What the MET Actually Meant
The Met Gala returned on Monday, May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It celebrated the opening of its new exhibition, “Costume Art” by encouraging attendees to follow the dress code of “Fashion is Art”.
The MET Gala is often referred to as “fashion’s biggest night out”. Viewers eagerly click on their tv to listen to interviews and pass judgements about whose outfit is unmatched. But, the title of best-dressed is about more than what looks like perfection at first glance; it is about how the year’s theme has been interpreted and executed.
So, what does the theme “Fashion is Art” truly mean?
The “Costume Art” exhibition draws attention to how the human form and fashion interact. Each curatorial department of the MET can be connected by the dressed body, and this exhibition is no exception. It will pair fashion with artworks to intentionally explore their relationship.
“Fashion is Art” leaves much up to the designer’s interpretation. It is a way to step away from tradition and encourage creativity, innovation, and even risks. It seems that a large focus this year was on sculpture, photographs, and paintings. Some made direct references, like Heidi Klum as an exact replica of the Veiled Virgin, while others made subtle odes to artworks, like Alexa Chung’s gown delicately illustrating Monet’s Water Lily.
With that being said, there were so many unique looks making their debut on the red carpet, but I wanted to touch someone who I believe really hit the nail on the head - Sabrina Carpenter.
Carpenter wore a Dior gown, designed by Jonathan Anderson. I appreciate Anderson’s literal take on the theme, utilizing rolls of film from the 1954 film, Sabrina. Many looks paid homage to drawings, paintings, or sculptures, but instead Anderson took a digital mode of art and made it tangible. The film rolls tightly wrapped Carpenter’s upper body, accentuating the form while still keeping the art front and center. The thought behind the design and the execution of it makes this gown a true work of art.
Art and fashion have an undeniable connection - the 2026 MET Gala shed a bright light on that fact.
