Beyoncé Takes Over Met Gala As Co-Chair Of Fashion’s Biggest Night

Beyoncé’s decade-long absence from the Met Gala red carpet will end with her commanding the entire 2026 event as co-chair.

The superstar joins Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour to lead the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s spring celebration. This marks Beyoncé’s first Met Gala appearance since 2016.

She walked away from fashion’s biggest night at the height of her “Lemonade” era, leaving fans wondering when Queen B would return. Her last appearance featured a stunning Givenchy Haute Couture look for the “Manus x Machina” theme.

The 2026 gala will celebrate “Costume Art,” an exhibition exploring the relationship between clothing and the human body. Curator Andrew Bolton designed the show around different body types – from the naked body to the pregnant body and aging body.

The exhibition opens May 10, 2026 and runs through January 10, 2027.

Beyoncé joins a select group of Hip-Hop and R&B artists who’ve held the prestigious co-chair position.

Rihanna blazed the trail in 2018, serving as co-chair for the “Heavenly Bodies” theme. Her papal-inspired look, featuring an ornate bishop’s headdress, became one of the most iconic Met Gala moments ever.

A$AP Rocky followed in 2025 as co-chair alongside Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton and Colman Domingo. The “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” theme celebrated Black fashion excellence.

Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz will co-chair the 2026 Host Committee.

Additional members include Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Misty Copeland, LISA, Teyana Taylor and A’ja Wilson.

The “Costume Art” exhibition will debut in The Met’s new Condé M. Nast Galleries. The nearly 12,000-square-foot space, adjacent to the Great Hall, represents a significant expansion for the Costume Institute.

The formal dress code for the 2026 event will be announced later.

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