TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Met Gala 2026 will raise the theme "Costume Art," an approach that positions the human body as the center of fashion exploration. This theme shifts the perspective of fashion; bigger than just clothing, it's art attached to the body.
Met Gala 2026: Body as the Center of Fashion Art Creation
The "Costume Art" theme is considered one of the most ambitious curations by Andrew Bolton, a curator responsible for the museum. As reported by Page Six, the exhibition that will be the basis of the Met Gala will showcase about 200 garments combined with 200 artworks from various eras, ranging from classic paintings, sculptures, to anatomical illustrations. This step reaffirms how the human body has been the foundation of art creation for centuries.
Meanwhile, US Magazine, in its report on celebrity fashion expectations, noted that next year's theme encourages more intimate exploration of the body, through transparent materials. The article emphasized in its report that the show will focus on the "indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear."
As reported by Vogue, this theme also highlights bodies that are often overlooked in art representation in general, such as during pregnancy and aging. Thus, "Costume Art" is not only a celebration of aesthetics, but also a social critique of body standards in art and fashion.
The Met Gala 2026 event will take place on Monday, May 4, 2026, in New York City at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The "Costume Art" exhibition will be open to the public on May 10, 2026, and will run until January 10, 2027.
Important Event, Major Donations
As reported by Vogue, behind the glamorous red carpet, the Met Gala has become a major fundraising machine for the Costume Institute. Financial support from this gala underpins research, conservation, and the ongoing development of fashion collections. This year, the gala is even more important as the exhibition mark the inauguration of the Condé M. Nast Galleries.
In this context, donations from invited guests, fashion houses, and sponsors are the main pillars of the Costume Institute's operations, from funding exhibitions, collection restoration, to curatorial research.
The "Costume Art" theme not only highlights the body as an artistic medium, but also the sustainability of the fashion art institution through public support and donors. Through the Met Gala 2026, the celebration of fashion turns into a real way of preserving the art community by ensuring that works, archives, and innovations in fashion can continue to be developed and accessible to future generations.