New York. Celebrities at this year’s Met Gala pushed creative boundaries, transforming the red carpet into a showcase of wearable art in line with the dress code, “Fashion is Art.”

From Beyoncé to Naomi Osaka and Emma Chamberlain, guests arrived in bold, custom-designed looks that blurred the line between fashion and fine art.

Beyoncé skipped her signature cowboy hat and instead wore a sculptural skeleton dress by Olivier Rousteing, complete with a feathered train and diamond crown. She posed on the Metropolitan Museum of Art steps with Jay-Z and their daughter, Blue Ivy.

Osaka drew attention in a structured white gown by Robert Wun, featuring exaggerated shoulders and red feather details. She later removed her headpiece for a dramatic reveal, unveiling a red beaded gown adorned with anatomical motifs. A similar design is currently displayed at the Met’s Costume Institute.

Chamberlain appeared in a hand-painted Mugler gown by Miguel Castro Freitas, blending vivid colors into a form-fitting silhouette with a spiral train.

Met Gala co-chair Anna Wintour opted for a mint-colored Chanel ensemble with a feathered cape, steering away from the iconic cerulean blue associated with The Devil Wears Prada, as anticipation builds for its sequel.

Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams chose more understated elegance. Williams wore a black off-the-shoulder gown paired with a Swarovski neckpiece inspired by her portrait at the National Portrait Gallery. Lauren Sánchez Bezos, representing event sponsor interests, wore a Schiaparelli gown influenced by John Singer Sargent’s 1884 painting Madame X.

Art References Take Center Stage

Many attendees drew directly from classical and contemporary art. Chloe Malle of Vogue wore a Colleen Allen dress inspired by Flaming June by Sir Frederic Leighton.

Lena Dunham collaborated with Valentino designer Alessandro Michele on a red feathered gown inspired by Judith Slaying Holofernes, referencing painter Artemisia Gentileschi.

Accessories also became part of the narrative. Gwendoline Christie wore a mask modeled after her own face, while Katy Perry used a fencing-style mask to interact with photographers.

Self-referential designs emerged as a theme, with artist Amy Sherald wearing Thom Browne inspired by her own work, and Sabrina Carpenter donning a Dior dress featuring film strips from the 1954 movie Sabrina.

Fashion as Canvas

Some guests turned their outfits into literal artworks. Designer Jessica Kayll painted a Monet-inspired water lily scene directly onto her gown in the days leading up to the event.

Anne Hathaway stood out in a custom Michael Kors dress featuring a hand-painted dove motif, symbolizing peace.

Janelle Monáe delivered one of the night’s most striking looks, wearing a sculptural piece adorned with moss-like textures and animatronic butterflies.

“Remember what made you human,” she said. “Nature is talking to us.”

Madonna staged a theatrical entrance, surrounded by performers holding sheer fabric connected to her elaborate headpiece.

The Body as Art

Some attendees leaned into the human form itself. Models Gigi Hadid and Irina Shayk wore revealing designs aligned with the exhibit’s theme.

Bad Bunny embraced full transformation, appearing as an older version of himself using prosthetics and makeup. Heidi Klum arrived as a draped statue, while Kim Kardashian wore a metallic body plate from the 1960s by artist Allen Jones.

Sculptural elements were also prominent, including trompe l’oeil designs and three-dimensional figures integrated into garments.

Rihanna, a regular showstopper, closed the carpet in a metallic, jewel-encrusted cocoon-style gown alongside A$AP Rocky.

“I feel like a pearl out of an oyster,” she said.