Charli XCX left very little to the imagination as she posed in her underwear while preparing for the Met Gala on Monday. The Brat singer, 33, was pictured in a hotel room, wearing a skimpy black corset and matching briefs. She added inches to her curvy frame as she slipped into a pair of towering pleaser stilettos. Flaunting her physique, Charli leaned against a door frame while tying her raven tresses into a high ponytail.
Her snaps came as she was later seen on the red carpet at the Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. For the glitzy evening, Charli wore a sheer, black, strapless gown featuring a floral design and a two-meter train.
About the Met Gala 2026
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, widely known as the Met Gala, takes place on the first Monday in May every year. This year's theme is Costume Art, with the dress code Fashion Is Art. The dress code calls on A-list attendees to explore how designers use the human body as a blank canvas.
Leading the charge is a powerhouse trio of co-chairs: Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams, joining forces with Vogue's global editorial director Anna Wintour to oversee fashion's biggest night. This marks the first time tennis superstar Williams has co-chaired the gala. Kidman previously co-chaired in 2003 and 2005, while 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, loosely divided into three categories: the classical and nude body, aging and pregnant bodies, and the anatomical body. The exhibit, set to unveil the Met's sprawling new Conde M. Nast Galleries, is made possible by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez, who are lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs.
Curator's Vision
Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute's curator, stated at a press conference: "The title 'Costume Art' refers to the history of the costume institute." Bolton, who selects the theme, added that fashion has "the status of art because of, and not in spite of, its relation to the body." French luxury fashion house Yves Saint Laurent is also sponsoring the exhibit.
The 2026 Met Gala also features 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. The exhibition Costume Art will run from May 10, 2026, through January 10, 2027, following the gala on May 4.
Financial Impact and Leadership Changes
The Met Gala is a major fundraiser for the museum, providing the Costume Institute with its primary source of funding. This year's gala marks a significant moment as it is the first since Anna Wintour stepped back from one of her famed roles at Vogue. In June 2025, Wintour announced she was stepping down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue after 37 years. She remains global director for Vogue and global chief content officer at Conde Nast, having hired Chloe Malle as the new head of editorial content at Vogue.
Wintour has been famously hands-on with the Met Gala over the years, credited with transforming it into the splashy A-list affair beloved by celebrities like Rihanna, the Kardashians, Blake Lively, Zendaya, and more. Last year, many stars skipped the gala, possibly to avoid faux pas related to the theme Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which centered on the political and aesthetic constructs of Black dandyism.
