Beyoncé Knowles returns to co-chair the 2026 Met Gala after a decade away, joining Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams.
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.
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.
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.
