05/21/2026
Did the Met Gala make a mistake this year? People are still debating the 2026 Met Gala-proving it was about more than celebrity fashion.
I joined ABCNews anchor to review the night’s looks, and one detail I loved was The Met Costume Institute’s focus on body positivity—a reminder that beauty ideals towards the body evolve through self-expression.
With this year’s theme, “Costume Art” and dress code, “Fashion is Art,” many designs referenced works from The Met itself. Cardi B embraced sculptural curves in a Marc Jacobs, inspired by Hans Bellmer’s The Doll, while Robert Wun’s “living sculpture” for Jordan Roth blurred lines between fashion, performance, and art.
I understand why the Met Gala ignited controversy around Jeff Bezos and wife Lauren’s $10M sponsorship, which drew criticism tied to Amazon labor concerns, 30K layoffs, DEI rollbacks, and the contrast between extreme wealth and rising hardship for most Americans.
Last year’s theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, inspired by Monica L. Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion, spawned a different kind of controversy. At a time when DEI initiatives, education, arts funding, and cultural programs suffered unprecedented cuts, I was so proud to see The Met take a stand to spotlight Black historical influence at fashion’s most powerful event in the world. Doesn’t that matter too?
What’s often overlooked is that The Met’s Costume Institute is the museum’s only self-funded department, relying on the Met Gala, sponsorships, private donations, and its own endowment. As art education support disappears, institutions are forced to depend on private funding.
That’s why supporting museums and the arts still matters. In 2025-26 I visited museums in DC/NY/FL/GA including SCADFASH to see Met Gala darling Andre Leon Talley: Style Is Forever. SCADFASH ATL’s new exhibit, Dior: Crafting Fashion, honors heritage couture as art.
As a Pratt fashion student, my Costume History class inside the Met’s Costume Institute steered the trajectory of my careeer.
Let’s remember, controversial movements are deeper than the surface of fashion.
Thank you Sophie Flay and ABCWorl