Met Gala 2026, here's what happened between Bad Bunny, Katy Perry and Lady Bezos

The Met Gala, the fashion world's most anticipated and spectacular event, set New York ablaze with a parade of stars who boldly and creatively interpreted this year's theme: "Costume Art". On the celebrated red carpet of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, guests sported ambitious looks to celebrate the opening of the Costume Institute's eponymous exhibition, which explores the relationship between dress and body through the ages.

Among the most extreme and controversial interpretations is that of Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny. The Grammy winner, already the star of this year's Half Time Show by Nfl with an unpublished performance, surprised everyone by appearing in an artificially aged version of himself, thanks to a complex prosthetic work on his face and hands. A conceptual choice to dialogue directly with one of the sections of the exhibition, the 'ageing body'.

Equally striking was the arrival of Katy Perry, who paraded incognito. The pop star covered her face with an iron and metal mask, described as a "literal and symbolic reflection that invites us to consider how the perception of others can mirror our own inner world". Completing the look was a six-fingered glove, an ironic reference to the increasingly common errors in artificial intelligence-generated images.

She chose to transform herself into a living picture, instead, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, honorary president of the evening together with her husband Jeff Bezos. The former journalist wore a mermaid gown by Schiaparelli, designed by Daniel Roseberry, whose inspiration came from one of the most controversial works of art in history: Madame X by John Singer Sargent. The dress, with a plunging neckline and a corset back, evoked the 1883 portrait through a jewelled strap intentionally dropped over the shoulder. A detail that cost the painter such a scandal at the time that he was forced to repaint the strap in its place.

Another star who literally embodied the 'Fashion is Art' theme was Sabrina Carpenter. The pop star paid homage to cinema by wearing a custom Dior gown, created by Jonathan Anderson, made entirely out of strips of vintage film stock from the 1954 film Sabrina, starring the iconic Audrey Hepburn. The look featured an American-style neckline, a shimmering tulle train and a deep slit. Embellishing the ensemble was a jewel-studded 1920s-style headdress that bore the title Sabrina in diamonds. For Carpenter, this Met Gala was particularly significant as she was part of the event's organising committee for the first time.