Crucial reason why there's no red carpet at the 2026 Met Gala
Phoebe Tonks
Featured Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
When it comes to the biggest night in the global fashion calendar, fans from all around the world excitedly tune in to see which stars and sartorial heavyweights will walk the famous steps at the annual Met Gala.
Traditionally, at major events the stars would grace a red carpet as is the tradition synonymous with all things showbiz, and of course fashion royalty - yet this year, as in previous ones, the carpet turned tradition on its head and opted for a very different carpet altogether.
In fact, this year’s iteration was so meticulously crafted, viewers tuning in at home could scarcely believe that it was a carpet at all, as it appeared to resemble a stone garden pathway, complete with patches of moss green against a tan backdrop.
To complete the ethereal look, the ‘carpet’ was then flanked by real life wisteria and trompe l’oeil, which brought the concept to life across multiple sensory levels.
The handprinted design became a work of art in itself, and was the brainchild of designer Raul Ávila, who worked alongside Baz Luhrmann and the award-winning set designer Derek McLane, to create a set piece that encapsulated the concept of Northern Italian gardens.
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The concept was chosen to align with this year’s theme of ‘fashion is art’ which meant taking inspiration from Renaissance paintings and designs that have adorned some of the most iconic pieces in art history and to create a romantic atmosphere that could whisk guests off to a scene befitting for the intersection of art and fashion.
“It’s soft, it’s romantic, it says spring, “ McLane told Vogue, before adding that it gives a ‘simplicity of modernity, which I think is right for this year.’
For the past eight years, the “red carpet” at the Met Gala hasn’t actually been red. Instead it’s been a reflection of that year’s current theme, and appeared in a whole spectrum of shades to truly bring the themes to life.
Last year, the carpet was white, yet subtly adorned with a swirl of lines that echoed the name of the show, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, and the design of the exhibition itself.
Crucially however, no matter the colour, the design of the carpet has always been to compliment and showcase the stunning outfits being worn by attendees, rather than to overwhelm with a daring colour and overpowering pattern.
The last traditional red carpet took place in 2015, when the theme was China: Through the Looking Glass. In this case, it made sense to include a colour so synonymous with luck, royalty and prestige within the Asian nation, while also reflecting the history of the colour in Chinese traditional art and culture through the ages.
We’ve seen some truly bonkers Met Gala looks in the past, but the celebs who attend are actually given a dress code, as well as an invitation to tailor their outfits to the event’s theme.
The Met Gala doubles as a launch event for the Costume Institute's spring exhibition, and the theme is generally aligned with that, along with a slightly more open-to-interpretation dress code.
This year’s theme is ‘Costume Art’, to tie in with a Costume Institute exhibition, which pairs paintings and sculptures with historical and contemporary clothes.
It looks to deal with ‘the centrality of the dressed body in the museum’s vast collection’.
The dress code is a bit more vague: Fashion is Art.
To me, that is even more anxiety-inducing than ‘smart-casual’. British Vogue says the dress code ‘encourages attendees to consider the many ways that designers use the body as their blank canvas’.
Previous themes and dress code have included:
Theme: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
Dress code: Tailored for You
Theme: Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
Dress code: The Garden of Time
Theme: Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty
Dress code: In honor of Karl