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The Met Gala 2026 Best Dressed
The Natalie Dixon Take — one strong opinion, no fence-sitting.
Fashion as art. That was the brief. And for once, the room largely delivered. The attention to detail across the 2026 Met Gala red carpet — the intricate sequinwork, the feather detailing, the considered use of colour and fabric — showcased what fashion is actually capable of when designers and their clients take a theme seriously. This was not a disappointing Met Gala. It was full, gloriously over-the-top, sequined, sparkled, and glamorous. Exactly what it should be. Here is my honest verdict on who owned the night — and who should have stayed home.
Best Dressed: Blake Lively — Archival Versace and Unshakeable Composure
My best dressed of the night was not the most predictable choice — but it was the most compelling one. Blake Lively arrived just hours after settling her highly publicised lawsuit, in a pastel archival Atelier Versace gown that was romantic, precise, and utterly composed. The dress alone would have earned a place on the best dressed list — delicate pastel tones, the weight of archival Versace behind it, worn with the kind of ease that only comes from complete self-possession. But the context made it unforgettable.
Turning up to the most photographed red carpet in the world hours after one of the most talked-about legal settlements in recent memory, looking completely serene — that is either extraordinary confidence or extraordinary nerve. Possibly both. Best dressed. No question.
Nicole Kidman — The Co-Chair Who Understood the Assignment
If you are going to co-chair the Met Gala, you had better get it right. Nicole Kidman did. A dark red Chanel sequin gown with feather detailing — and the self-awareness to know exactly why she chose it. Speaking to Vogue on the livestream, she explained that she wanted to wear red for what it represents in art: power and love. That is not a celebrity giving a soundbite. That is someone who has actually thought about the theme. Second best dressed, without question.
The Best of the Brits — Suki Waterhouse, Emily Blunt and more
The British contingent delivered. Suki Waterhouse in a Grecian-style pink Michael Kors gown with a sweeping train — romantic, considered, and thoroughly on theme. Carey Mulligan in a Prada strawberry column dress that was quietly one of the most interesting looks of the night — unexpected, precise, and very Prada. Emily Blunt chose black whilst Rosie Huntington-Whiteley opted for dark chocolate strapless dress – both looked impeccably elegant.
And then there was Kate Moss in black lace Saint Laurent — effortless in the way that only Kate Moss can be, as if the red carpet is simply somewhere she happened to be passing through. A strong night for British women on the most watched carpet in fashion.
Cara Delevingne — Full Feminine Glamour in Ralph Lauren
This is the Cara I want to see more of. Black Ralph Lauren, fully feminine, completely glamorous. When she commits to elegance rather than eccentricity, she is one of the best dressed women on any carpet. Tonight was a reminder of that. Yes from me, unreservedly.
Kim Kardashian — Fashion Drama, No Distractions
Lewis Hamilton was not on her arm. She didn’t need him. Kim Kardashian arrived in a dramatic tangerine bodice by artist Allen Jones — bold, body-conscious, and unmistakably her. The Skims DNA is written all over it, but on the Met Gala carpet that is not a criticism — it is a brand statement executed at the highest level. Paired with classic nude Louboutin heels that let the drama sit entirely with the dress, and finished with a new balayage blonde that felt like its own announcement. This was not noise. This was fashion. It hit the mark.
She walked in alone and owned every inch of it.
Anne Hathaway — Michael Kors and a Hidden Masterpiece
Anne Hathaway arrived with Michael Kors himself — a statement in itself. The dress: a hand-painted strapless gown with a goddess of peace on the back of the skirt. That detail is everything. It is the kind of considered, thematic choice that separates genuine fashion appreciation from a well-managed red carpet appearance. You have to turn around to see it, which means it was painted for the people who were paying attention — not the cameras. For a theme built around fashion as art, a hand-painted gown is about as literal and as beautiful an answer as you can give. Impressed.
The Surprise of the Night – Doja Cat
Nobody predicted this. Doja Cat in monochromatic latex Saint Laurent — minimalist, beige, and genuinely stylish. For someone whose Met Gala appearances have previously felt more performance than fashion, this was a pivot. The very high platform shoes were the one misstep, but the overall look was restrained in a way I did not expect from her.
Zoë Kravitz in black Saint Laurent lace was equally stunning — two women in the same house, both getting it completely right.
Sam Smith – A Mixed Report
Sam Smith: not chic, not stylish, not Met Gala. Joe Alwyn, on the other hand, looked genuinely sharp in Valentino. The men’s red carpet remains an afterthought at most fashion events — the ones who treat it seriously always stand out for it.
Irina Shayk and Gwendoline Christie
Two very different failures, both worth addressing.
The naked dressing trend has overstayed its welcome on every red carpet, and the Met Gala is not the place for it. Irina Shayk has a stunning figure — nobody is disputing that. But the Met Gala is an evening that asks something of you intellectually as well as physically. A bikini top is not an answer to Fashion Is Art. It is a refusal to engage with the question.
Gwendoline Christie in Giles Deacon, carrying a mask of a face. Terrifying is not a Met Gala category. There is a difference between avant-garde and unsettling, and this crossed the line.
The Verdict
The Met Gala 2026 did not disappoint. The theme Fashion Is Art could have produced lazy, vague dressing — instead it gave us one of the more considered carpets in recent years. When the brief is open, the best guests rise to it. Tonight, most of them did.
The predictions piece published yesterday — read it here: Met Gala 2026: Who Will Be The Best Dressed (And Who Won’t)
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