DUBAI/ NEW YORK: The brightest stars in Hollywood, music, sports and style — led by Beyonce, Madonna and Nicole Kidman — hit the red carpet Monday for the Met Gala, the Manhattan charity ball that doubles as fashion's biggest night.
The A-listers were asked to dress for the theme "Fashion is Art," which dovetails with the exhibit "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
Saudi couturier Mohammed Ashi dressed multiple celebrities at the coveted event, including Lebanese jewelry designer Sabine Getty, “The Devil Wears Prada 2” star Emily Blunt and Jen Rubio. The gowns hailed from his Paris-based label Ashi Studio.
Emily Blunt showed off an Ashi Studio look. (Getty Images)
For her part, Dutch Egyptian Moroccan model Imaan Hammam showed off a tiered Saint Laurent look, complete with oversized jewelry.
Imaan Hammam attended in a Saint Laurent ensemble. (Getty Images)
Beyonce, one of the event's co-chairs who was making her first appearance in a decade, was one of the last to arrive, but she did not disappoint, stunning the crowd in a bejeweled skeleton gown topped with a dramatic feather coat and a headpiece.
Earlier, the singer's fellow co-chairs, tennis legend Venus Williams and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, kicked off the proceedings.
Beyonce, one of the event's co-chairs who was making her first appearance in a decade, was one of the last to arrive. (Getty Images)
Kidman stunned in a shimmering red long-sleeved Chanel column dress with wide feather cuffs, while Williams glistened in a black crystal Swarovski gown with an elaborate neck plate.
From there, the stars kept on coming. Rock royalty Madonna, Cher and Stevie Nicks joined music's new generation of stars in Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat and Tyla.
Sunday Rose Kidman Urban and Nicole Kidman attend the 2026 Met Gala. (Getty Images)
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were hours late, as per usual, making a grand entrance.
Bad Bunny, who is having a blockbuster 2026 with major Grammy wins and the Super Bowl halftime show under his belt, wore prosthetics and a white wig to explore how he would look as an old man, according to Vogue.
Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, Stella McCartney, Anthony Vaccarello and Haider Ackermann were among the many fashion designers on hand for the evening.
Of course, the entire evening is overseen by Vogue's global editorial director Anna Wintour -- the ultimate tastemaker in US fashion who has helmed the event for 30 years.
The gala is a fundraiser for the Met's Costume Institute, and this year has raised a record $42 million (after $31 million in 2025), the museum's CEO Max Hollein told reporters early Monday.
