Beyoncé Returns to Met Gala After Decade with Diamond Ribcage Gown
The 2026 Met Gala took place Monday night in New York (Tuesday WAT) under the theme 'Costume Art,' featuring Beyoncé's highly anticipated return after a decade. The superstar stunned in a diamond-encrusted, ribcage-inspired gown symbolizing the body as armour, accompanied by Jay-Z and Blue Ivy Carter.
This year's gala centered on the 'Fashion Is Art' dress code, with celebrities embracing sculptural looks and performance-art elements. Co-chairs included Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as honorary chairs.
For African audiences, attention focused on diaspora representation following past appearances by Tems and Burna Boy. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrived fashionably late, shutting down the carpet with gunmetal couture reportedly inspired by Caribbean roots. The event continues as the Costume Institute's major fundraiser, generating over $30 million annually to preserve fashion as art across 5,000 years of history.