The Met Gala, often considered the pinnacle of social events each year, is known for its dazzling display of fashion and style, with attendees dedicating countless hours to perfecting their looks. However, the true excitement of the evening seems to unfold away from the limelight, inside the museum where the celebration truly begins.
Images from the 2026 Met Gala provide an intimate peek into the festivities, capturing how celebrities unwind and enjoy fashion’s most prestigious night. It’s during these moments that the stars show their unguarded, playful sides, offering fans a glimpse beyond the glamorous facade.
Take Rihanna, for instance. At 38, she wasn’t about to let the formal nature of the event dampen her spirits or her sense of humor. The singer was photographed sharing a lighthearted moment with Heidi Klum, who, at 52, arrived with a creative costume that depicted her as a statue.
In one memorable snapshot, Rihanna cheekily posed with her hand near Klum’s chest, playfully puckering her lips. This playful antic had her partner, A$AP Rocky, who is 37, bursting into laughter, covering his face with his hand in amusement.
Pictures show Rihanna striking a very cheeky pose with Heidi Klum, 52, – who came dressed as a statue – and one that reduced her partner A$AP Rocky, 37, to stiches.
The songstress placed her hand by Klum’s chest and puckered up her lips while A$AP buried his face in his hand, clearly amused by the interaction.
Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and Heidi Klum let their hair down inside the 2026 Met Gala bash
The trio had a blast goofing off inside the exclusive soiree
It was clearly all in good fun, with Klum unable to resist cracking up as A$AP flashed a peace sign above her head.
The ordinarily cool, calm, and collected Rihanna also doubled over in laughter.
The bash was truly a who’s who from all industries, with stars from Hollywood, music, sports, and tech in attendance.
Kylie Jenner was seen showcasing an appreciation for fine art as she admired the exhibits on display.
Another celebrity who was having a blast was Olivia Wilde.
Wilde was spotted rubbing elbows with Katy Perry, who seemingly surprised the actress with her unusual face mask outfit.
Jeff Bezos was spotted smooching his glamorous wife Lauren Sanchez while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan mingled with Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu.
Actresses Ayo Edebiri and Lily-Rose Depp were among those seen chatting by the dance floor.
Hailey Bieber, wearing a gold bust, struck a pose next to her ‘nude’ BFF Kylie Jenner before mingling with a slew of A-list pals.
She caught up with Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter and Zoe Kravitz just before the night’s performances kicked off.
The ordinarily cool, calm, and collected Rihanna was unable to resist cracking up over their hijinks
Kylie Jenner expressed an appreciation for the fine arts
The reality star attended the bash alongside the likes of Hunter Schafer, Lux Pascal, Paloma Elsesser, Alex Consani
Jenner admired the art exhibits on display alongside Alexis Roche and John Galliano
The bash brought stars from all industries, including actress Olivia Wilde and singer Katy Perry
Wilde seemed surprised by Perry’s face mask
Madonna made her way around the venue arm-in-arm with boytoy Akeen Morris in their coordinating all-black costumes.
The superstar was later seen up on her feet as the likes of Sabrina Carpenter and Stevie Nicks took the stage inside the museum.
Kris Jenner got a lot of love from fashion designer Stella McCartney, who was seen hugging the Kardashian matriarch from behind at one point during the night.
Jenner was also spotted holding hands with Euphoria star Colman Domingo as they, along with McCartney and Anne Hathaway, gathered around the event’s stage.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, also known as the Met Gala, falls on the first Monday in May every year.
The theme of this year’s event – widely considered the Super Bowl of celebrity red carpets – was ‘Costume Art’, while the dress code was ‘Fashion Is Art.’
The dress code called on the A-list attendees to explore how designers use the human body as a blank canvas.
Leading the charge was a powerhouse trio of co-chairs, with Beyonce, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams joining forces with Vogue’s global editorial director Anna Wintour to oversee fashion’s biggest night.
It was the first time tennis superstar Williams has co-chaired the gala. Kidman previously co-chaired the star-studded event in 2003 as well as 2005, and Beyonce was an honorary chair in 2013.
The New York City museum pairs historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute for the exhibition, which will be loosely divided into three categories, including the classical and the nude body, aging and pregnant bodies, and the anatomical body.
Music icons Rihanna, Ciara, and Perry shared the spotlight
Teyana Taylor and Connor Storrie were having a blast
Hailey Bieber, wearing a gold bust, struck a pose next to her ‘nude’ BFF Kylie Jenner
Emily Blunt was seen chatting with fellow gala attendees while sipping on a cocktail
Sabrina Carpenter looked in awe as she locked eyes with Zoe Kravitz and Hailey Bieber
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez mingled with the stars
The Amazon founder smooched his new wife
Doja Cat relaxed after an evening posing up the storm
Facebook founder Mark Zucerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan met Alysa Liu
The soiree brought the worlds of tech and sports together
Donatella Versace looked much younger than her 71 years in a bedazzled flesh-toned gown and her signature blonde hair
Charli XCX celebrated fashion’s biggest night alongside Saint Laurent CEO Cédric Charbit
The exhibit – which unveiled the Met’s sprawling new Conde M. Nast Galleries – was made possible by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez, who were the lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs.
‘The title “Costume Art” refers to the history of the costume institute,’ Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute’s curator, said at a press conference.
Bolton, who selects the theme, said fashion has ‘the status of art because of, and not in spite of, its relation to the body.’
French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent also sponsored the exhibit.
The 2026 Met Gala also had a host committee that includes committee co-chairs Anthony Vaccarello and Zoe Kravitz, along with members Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Angela Bassett, Gwendoline Christie, Misty Copeland, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor and more.
Costume Art will run from May 10, 2026 through January 10, 2027, following the Met Gala on May 4.
The Met Gala is a huge money-maker for the museum, and provides the Costume Institute with its main source of funding.
The 2026 Met Gala marks a major moment because it’s the first one since Wintour technically stepped back from one of her famed roles at Vogue.
Ayo Edebiri and Lily-Rose Depp chatted by the dance floor
Kris Jenner held hands with Colman Domingo as they crowded around the stage along with Anne Hathaway and designer Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney wrapped her arms around Kris Jenner at one point in the night
Cher got up on her feet as Sabrina Carpenter performed
Rocking her goth-inspired look, Madonna walked arm-in-arm with boytoy Akeem Morris
Madonna looked ready to party despite her cumbersome costume
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson looked sharp in a tuxedo as he wrapped one arm around his stunning wife Lauren Hashian during the nighttime soiree
Kim Kardashian glowed in her orange hardshell bodysuit look as the lights went down in the museum for the star-studded performances
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley offered a friendly wave while at her assigned table with Burberry CCO Daniel Lee
Katy Perry made sure to leave her AI-inspired mask open as she watched fellow pop diva Sabrina Carpenter perform
Zoe Kravitz shared a sweet moment with Allure editor-in-chief Jessica Cruel and celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury
Hailey Bieber posed up for a snap with husband Justin’s close pal SZA and rapper Doechii
Bieber also caught up with pal Tate McRae, who glittered in a gold lace gown at the gala
Kylie and Kendall Jenner were all giggles as they mingled with NBA star Russell Westbrook
Hailey Bieber had an animated exchange with Chase Sui Wonders and Patrick Schwarzenegger
Dasha Zhukova Niarchos flashed a beaming smile while making her way around the gala with husband Stavros Niarchos III
Co-chairs Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and Beyonce changed into brand new outfits to address the star-studded crowd
Beyonce smiled at the crowd in a bedazzled veiled look that stole the show
In June 2025, Wintour announced she was stepping down as the editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 37 years.
The global director for Vogue and global chief content officer at Conde Nast hired Chloe Malle as the new head of editorial content at Vogue.
Wintour has famously been incredibly hands-on with the Met Gala over the years, and is credited with making it the splashy A-list affair it has become, beloved by celebrities like Rihanna, the Kardashians, Blake Lively, Zendaya and more.
Last year, many stars did not attend the Met Gala, and some people thought it was to avoid making a faux pas because of the theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which was centered around the political and aesthetic constructs of Black dandyism.
