By: Rami Mansi
An assistant in a basic black dress, a yellow crossbody bag, and bold red flats went viral after a video of her directing traffic and running up and down the street resonated with and entertained viewers and fashion fans alike. The assistant’s rush is felt not only by her but also by many other assistants and team members who attended the 2026 Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) Gala.
Welcome to Rami’s Reviews, a place for all things pop culture. Today, we’re honoring our annual tradition of deep-diving into the grand waters of The Met Gala.
An invite-only fundraiser for The Met’s Costume Institute, the Met Gala is one of the most exclusive events in the world. For every gala, a new exhibition is presented to the attendees. Titled “Costume Art,” the exhibition is centered on the human body and the fabrics that dress it, according to The Met’s official website. The dress code attendees had to follow was deemed “Fashion is Art,” where the intersection between clothing and visual art collides.
Co-chairs of this year’s gala were actress Nicole Kidman, athlete Venus Williams, Anna Wintour, the previous Editor-in-Chief of “Vogue”, and legendary musician Beyoncé, who returns to the star-studded event after an almost 10-year hiatus.
The guests’ outfits seemed to fall into three categories: those who followed the dress code “Fashion is Art,” those who followed the exhibition’s theme “Costume Art,” and those who chose not to follow either. Let’s begin exploring the attendees who followed the dress code.
One of the first celebrities to arrive on the carpet simultaneously wore one of the best outfits of the night. Emma Chamberlin, Vogue’s Red Carpet correspondent and the internet’s favorite it-girl, wore a dress made by the legendary fashion house of Mugler. A dress inspired by her family’s tight-knit history and the “Butterfly” Mugler dress, circa 1997, the skin-tight gown was designed with paint applied to the fabric itself; truly a vibrant display of high couture.
Another highly constructed garment came from multi-hyphenate Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo. Designing her own look, with the team at Jean Paul Gaultier executing the idea, Kuo was inspired by the “Winged Victory of Samothrace”. A stunning show of craftsmanship and exquisiteness, the wedding-white gown incorporated the inspired statue as its centerpiece.
The K-pop idol-turned-Dior muse, Jisoo, made a fabulous Met Gala debut. Pale pink flowers lined the purple-pink dress, designed with sequins galore and bouquets to match; Jisoo was a vision, with fans making multiple viral posts regarding her beauty and outfit. But it’s not just the fans obsessed with Jisoo; Dior and Cartier got into a contract battle over her being the ambassador for their newest campaigns. Needless to say, the lead vocalist and visuals of Blackpink have undeniable relevance in music and fashion.
Jisoo, Kuo, and Chamberlain left fans, fashion fans, and fanatic fans with enough eatery to last till next year. However, some attendees were not lucky enough to receive praise from the coveted judges, who are the anonymous accounts that comment on every pop culture moment, otherwise known as Stan Twitter.
One celebrity who split the masses was rising star of “Heated Rivalry,” Hudson Williams. Dressed in a Balenciaga baby-blue suit with a cropped jacket featuring a black lace overlay, Williams received controversial opinions about his outfit and his contrasting asymmetrical makeup. His makeup artist received massive backlash, which led other makeup artists to rally to their support. Nonetheless, he and “Heated Rivalry” co-star Connor Storie shared the limelight at the Met Gala with praise and memeification galore, rallying behind the dynamic duo.
Other guests had their outfits based on the exhibition, so the category was body after body!
Starting strong with Queen B herself, Beyoncé was put into a custom look designed by Olivier Rousteing. Described as “a skin-toned mesh base [that] was embellished with a diamond skeleton that traveled all the way down to her fingers,” by Vogue, the look was a phenomenal comeback for the queen to take her place right back on the Met Gala throne.
One star that had all the rage over their look was none other than the king of everyone’s hearts: Bad Bunny…who was dressed as an old guy?!? Well, it’s not as black and white as it seems. The theme of “Costume Art” includes the body in all its shapes and forms: pregnant, naked, large, small, young, and old. Bad Bunny’s black tuxedo was a lovechild of his own mind and Zara’s fashion ideas; it was accessorized with a cane and a timepiece.
Closing out the runway for another year, global icon Rihanna stepped into a couture gown by Maison Margiela creative director Glenn Martens, adorned with a tasteful matching hairstyle and headpiece; 40 individually curled metallic pieces.
With the final star shooting its way into the museum, the carpet was closed, and attendees were treated to the new exhibition and a performance by pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who was fabulously dressed for the night.
Until we meet again, this is Rami’s Reviews signing off.