The Met Gala has announced its 2026 theme as “Costume Art,” with the event set to take place on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

The annual fundraiser is expected to focus on the relationship between clothing and art, framing garments as museum objects to be studied and interpreted rather than simply worn.

The return of Beyoncé as a co-chair marks her first appearance at the event in a decade.

She will be joined by co-chairs including Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour.

The host committee includes figures from music, fashion and film, such as Anthony Vaccarello, Zoë Kravitz, LISA, Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Sam Smith and Alex Consani.

The exhibition is backed by Saint Laurent under the creative direction of Vaccarello, with expectations that the red carpet looks will reflect sculptural and structured designs.

The theme follows a series of past exhibitions that have highlighted designers and craftsmanship, reinforcing the Met Gala’s focus on fashion as art.

Organisers say the 2026 edition will continue the event’s tradition of combining celebrity appearances with the Costume Institute’s annual fundraising exhibition.