The 2026 Met Gala returned on Monday night with a broad but very visual brief: “Fashion Is Art.” The dress code tied into the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition “Costume Art,” which looks at the relationship between clothing, the body, and artworks across The Met’s collection.

That gave celebrities plenty of room to move. Some leaned into sculpture, some went archival, and others used the carpet for full character work. Here are the stars who stood out most on the night.

Beyoncé closed out the carpet with Blue Ivy by her side, wearing a custom Olivier Rousteing look. The outfit featured a crystal-covered skeleton-style illusion gown and a sweeping feathered train, making her return one of the most talked-about arrivals of the night.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrived as a pair and made the moment count. Rihanna wore a custom Maison Margiela gown by Glenn Martens, with molten-metal woven silk, recycled-metal threads, an Art Deco-style headpiece and a corseted bodice covered with more than 115,000 crystal beads, antique jewels and chains. A$AP Rocky wore custom Chanel by Matthieu Blazy, including a pink wool robe with black satin lapels, black piping, a black silk-and-feather camélia and Chanel High Jewelry.

Tyla went bright and bold in custom Valentino by Alessandro Michele. Her peacock-inspired look featured a satin bleu paon skirt with a deep slit, an embroidered silver-rhinestone waistline and a tulle top with long sleeves, fringe and silver sequins.

Bad Bunny took the theme in a more theatrical direction, arriving as an aged version of himself. He wore a custom all-black tuxedo designed in collaboration with Zara, paired with prosthetics, a cane and an oversized pussy bow referencing Charles James’s 1947 gown Bustle, which is part of the Costume Institute’s permanent collection.

SZA returned to the Met Gala in a custom Bode look by Emily Adams Bode Aujla. The yellow corset dress featured a tiered embroidered skirt made from 100 yards of material sourced from eBay, along with a sheer butterfly-inspired cape and a floral headpiece decorated with protea, orchids, calla lilies, cowrie shells and champagne-colored jewels.

Janelle Monáe kept things experimental in a custom Christian Siriano gown made with green moss, multicolored braided wires, 3D butterflies and recycled materials. The look also featured side cutouts, a floor-sweeping mermaid skirt and a high neckline.

Anok Yai arrived in Balenciaga by Pierpaolo Piccioli, with a look inspired by the Black Madonna. Yai said she wanted the outfit to send a message of hope, with the beauty direction pushing her toward a statue-like effect rather than a traditional red-carpet look.

Karan Johar made his Met Gala debut in Manish Malhotra, styled by Eka Lakhani. The look was inspired by painter Raja Ravi Varma and included hand-painted detailing, zardozi borders, three-dimensional pillars, lotuses, swans and a hand-painted jacket lining.

Zoë Kravitz kept her look sleek in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. She wore an unlined black guipure-lace gown with a basque waist, paired with Jessica McCormack jewelry and black Romy slingback pumps.

Serena Williams brought a sharp metallic moment to the carpet in Marc Jacobs. She wore a mini dress with David Yurman jewelry, including chain-link drop earrings, diamond bracelets and diamond rings, along with an Audemars Piguet timepiece.

The strongest looks this year were the ones with clear references and memorable silhouettes. Beyoncé, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Tyla, Bad Bunny, SZA, Janelle Monáe, Anok Yai, Karan Johar, Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz and Serena Williams all gave the carpet something specific to remember.