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The Met Museum Unveils 2026 Gala Exhibit Theme: ‘Costume Art’

The exhibition, which will pair archival fashion pieces with works of art depicting the human body, will be the first to grace the new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries space.
The outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.
The outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. ( Lorina Capitulo/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced “Costume Art” as the theme for The Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition Monday.

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Further Reading

Decoding Black Dandyism, the Theme of This Year’s Met Gala

‘It’s a sartorial style that asks questions about identity, representation, mobility – race, class, gender, sexuality and power,’ said Monica L. Miller, whose book ‘Slaves to Fashion’ inspired this year’s Met Gala and accompanying exhibition.

Is the Met Gala Worth the Investment?

For dozens of brands, dressing stars for the Met Gala comes at a significant cost. It’s not always clear how they should measure their return on investment, writes Imran Amed.

About the author
Mike Sykes
Mike Sykes

Mike Sykes is the Sports and Fashion Correspondent at the Business of Fashion. He is based in Washington, D.C. and is laser-focused on covering the sportswear world where it intersects with fashion, tech and more.

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