Charli XCX looked incredible in a semi-sheer gown as she posed on the famous steps at the 2026 Met Gala in New York City on Monday. As the biggest fashion event of the year got underway, the singer, 33, opted for a black dress from Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. The fitted bodice featured a 3D, translucent, floral corsage and was complete with a dramatic two-meter train. Charli teamed her outfit with a pair of platform heels and styled her hair into a messy ponytail to top off her look.
Theme and Dress Code
The theme of this year's event - widely considered the Super Bowl of celebrity red carpets - is 'Costume Art', while the dress code is 'Fashion Is Art.' The dress code calls on the A-list attendees to explore how designers use the human body as a blank canvas. Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute's curator, said at a press conference that the title 'Costume Art' refers to the history of the costume institute. He added that fashion has 'the status of art because of, and not in spite of, its relation to the body.'
Pre-Gala Preparations
Ahead of the main event, Charli left very little to the imagination as she posed in her underwear while preparing for the Met Gala. The Brat singer was pictured in a hotel room as she posed in a skimpy black corset and matching briefs. Flaunting her physique, Charli leaned up against a door frame and slipped into a pair of towering pleaser stilettos.
Co-Chairs and Sponsors
Leading the charge is a powerhouse trio of co-chairs, with Beyonce, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams joining forces with Vogue's global editorial director Anna Wintour to oversee fashion's biggest night. It is the first time tennis superstar Williams has co-chaired the gala. Kidman previously co-chaired the star-studded event in 2003 as well as 2005, and Beyonce was an honorary chair in 2013. The New York City museum will pair historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute for the exhibition, which will be loosely divided into three categories, including the classical and the nude body, aging and pregnant bodies, and the anatomical body. The exhibit - set to unveil the Met's sprawling new Conde M. Nast Galleries - has been made possible by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez, who are the lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs. French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent is also sponsoring the exhibit.
Host Committee
The 2026 Met Gala will also have a host committee that includes committee co-chairs Anthony Vaccarello and Zoe Kravitz, along with members Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Angela Bassett, Gwendoline Christie, Misty Copeland, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor and more.
Exhibition and Impact
Costume Art will run from May 10, 2026 through January 10, 2027, following the Met Gala on May 4. The Met Gala is a huge money-maker for the museum, and provides the Costume Institute with its main source of funding. The 2026 Met Gala marks a major moment because it is the first one since Wintour technically stepped back from one of her famed roles at Vogue. In June 2025, Wintour announced she was stepping down as the editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 37 years. The global director for Vogue and global chief content officer at Conde Nast hired Chloe Malle as the new head of editorial content at Vogue.
