What, exactly, makes a successful Met Gala look? From an editorial perspective, the most convincing tend to be those that use the theme as a springboard to push beyond a celebrity’s established image: Rihanna in Guo Pei couture, for instance, or the moments when a designer effectively crowns someone as a muse, like Kim Kardashian and John Galliano, or Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen. Sometimes, though, the thrill is more immediate: someone simply looks incredible, or has managed to source an ultra-rare piece of fashion history with genuine cultural import. The sweet spot is when a look can travel across the feed as viral fodder, yet still withstand a more rigorous reading.
Read more: Met Gala 2026 Red Carpet Looks: See Every Celebrity Outfit And Dress
Or perhaps what makes a successful Met Gala look is simply the person inside it – and the size of their fandom – which, it’s safe to assume, renders any public vote at least a little biased. As for who topped ours? Heidi Klum, Chase Infiniti, Kendall Jenner, Audrey Nuna and Jisoo all came close, but you’ll have to scroll on for the top five: a cross-section that proves just how much room the “Fashion is Art” dress code allowed for interpretation – if fashion really is art, then technically any outfit worn on the red carpet was on theme, though, no? – offering as much potential for meme-making as it did for introspective readings. In other words, the guidelines could be taken as seriously or as unseriously as guests desired. The best Met Gala looks, as these winners prove, are usually both.
Without further ado…
5th place: SZA
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