The Met Gala 2026 Theme “Costume Art”, Explained

“Costume Art” is the first of Bolton’s exhibitions to be subtitle-less. The simplicity of the show’s name bolsters its objective: that fashion should most certainly be considered on the same plane as art. “I thought very, very carefully about that,” Bolton says. In fact, as recently as two weeks ago, the show did have a colon and a subtitle. “But then we took it out and it was like taking off a corset,” he laughs. “I thought, this is exactly what it should be. It’s bold, it’s strong, it’s a statement of intent.” The goal, he goes on, “is not to create a new hierarchy. It’s just to disband that hierarchy and to focus on equivalency—equivalency of artworks and equivalency of bodies.”

Made possible by Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, with other funding from Saint Laurent and Condé Nast, “Costume Art” will run from May 10, 2026–January 10, 2027, following the Met Gala on May 4, 2026, which provides the Costume Institute with its primary source of funding for all activities.