Top 8+ art references you might have missed behind the 2026 Met Gala outfits

The first Monday in May saw the return of the Met Gala for 2026. This year’s theme was “Costume Art,” with a dress code of “Fashion is Art.”

Instructed to dress accordingly, celebrities did not disappoint as the red carpet attendees produced a range of direct references to art history from classical paintings to sculpture and riffs on well-known pieces.

Here is a look at some of the art references on the night.

Rachel Zegler at the 2026 Met Gala, left, and the inspiration for her outfit, The Execution of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche (1833).

Rachel Zegler wore a Atelier Prabal Gurung gown, made with silk and a hand-craped laced bodice and fitted skirt with bow detail trim. It was the Jennifer Behr custom silk chiffon mask that finished off the look inspired by the painting of Lady Jane Grey by Paul Delaroche in 1833.

Heidi Klum attends the 2026 and The Veiled Virgin by Giovanni Strazza.

Famed for never missing a costume opportunity, Heidi Klum impressed with her take on The Veiled Virgin by Giovanni Strazza.

Gracie Abrams attends the 2026 Met Gala, left, and Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt (1907). –

Singer Gracie Abrams wore gold Chanel to become a walking work of art inspired by the 1907 Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt.

Charli xcx attends the 2026 Met Gala, left, and Irises, by Vincent van Gogh (1889)

Charli XCX channeled Vincent Van Gogh in a Saint Laurent gown made of silk, tulle and resin, with an iris flower motif, giving a nod to Irises by the famous artist.

Ben Platt attends the 2026 Met Gala, left, and A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat (1884)

Wearing a hand-painted and embroidered silk-wool suit, Ben Platt’s look was inspired by the ever-iconic A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat.

Lisa Airan attends the 2026 Met Gala, with La Danse I by Henri Matisse.

Skincare icon Lisa Airan wowed in a Christopher Kane gown from FW15 that provided a clear nod to Henri Matisse’s La Danse I.

Madonna attends the 2026 Met Gala, left, and Temptation of St. Anthony, Fragment II, Leonora Carrington (1945)

Madonna stepped onto the carpet in a Saint Laurent slip dress in satin and lace and topped with a statement cape in violet, each edge carried by one of even ladies-in-waiting. A reference to the work of surrealist painter Leonora Carrington.

Hunter Schafer attends the 2026, and Mada Primiavesi by Gustav Klimt (1912)

Euphoria star Hunter Schafer channeled Gustav Klimt’s Mada Primavesi in a look by Prada that mixed the floral details of the painting with contemporary ripped details.

See more Met Gala 2026 outfits with the 10 Best Looks from the 2026 Met Gala, or the Worst Dressed Celebrities Spotted on the Red Carpet.

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