The world’s most watched red carpet has revealed its leadership for 2026. Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, tennis legend Venus Williams and longtime Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour have been announced as co-chairs of next year’s Met Gala, the annual fundraiser for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
The 2026 edition, scheduled for 4 May, will carry the theme “Costume Art,” inviting designers and guests to explore fashion as a form of museum-worthy visual art. It will also mark Beyoncé’s first appearance at the event in roughly a decade, adding extra star power to an already stacked hosting lineup.
Four co-chairs, four different worlds
Each of the co-chairs brings a distinct cultural sphere to the table. Beyoncé arrives as a global music icon and fashion force whose past Met looks helped define entire seasons. Nicole Kidman connects Hollywood cinema and luxury maisons. Venus Williams brings elite sport and athlete-driven style into the conversation, reflecting how performance wear and tunnel fashion have infiltrated runways. Anna Wintour remains the event’s institutional anchor, overseeing the guest list and broader direction as she has for decades.
The Met Gala as soft power
Beyond the gowns and social-media moments, the Met Gala is a powerful fundraising machine. The night finances much of the Costume Institute’s work, from major exhibitions to the preservation of historic garments. By placing a music superstar, an Oscar-winning actor, a Grand Slam champion and one of fashion’s most influential editors on the same organising line, the museum is signalling a desire to reach diverse audiences and donors at once.
For designers from the Arab world and Lebanon in particular, the event is more than distant celebrity spectacle. Lebanese couture names have long been favourites on the Met steps; every new theme and co-chair brings fresh opportunities for regional houses to dress global icons and place their work at the centre of the fashion conversation.
What ‘Costume Art’ could look like
The exact exhibition and dress-code details are yet to be fully revealed, but the title “Costume Art” hints at a blend of archival masterpieces and avant-garde silhouettes. Expect references to historic couture, museum-quality embroidery and sculptural shapes designed less for comfort than for impact on the museum stairs.
As preparations begin, one thing is certain: with Beyoncé returning, Kidman and Williams making their mark as co-chairs and Wintour directing from behind the scenes, the 2026 Met Gala is poised to dominate both fashion headlines and social feeds – from New York to Beirut and beyond.
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