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On Monday, the 2026 Met Gala raised a record $42 million for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, beating last year's $31 million. Hundreds of celebrities gathered on the museum's steps in Manhattan for the annual charity event.
Museum CEO Max Hollein shared the fundraising total with reporters before the event. The gala, which takes place every first Monday in May and has been led by Vogue's Anna Wintour for 30 years, invited guests to dress for the theme "Fashion is Art."
The theme ties in with the Costume Institute's new exhibit, "Costume Art," which opens May 10. The show features famous fashion pieces displayed alongside works from the museum's collection, such as a Saint Laurent design next to Van Gogh's "Irises" and a John Galliano gown for Maison Margiela next to an antique statue.
The evening's co-chairs were singer Beyonce, tennis star Venus Williams, and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman.
Beyonce made her first Met Gala appearance in 10 years, arriving late in a diamond skeleton gown by Olivier Rousteing. She wore it over skin-toned mesh, with a feathered coat and a detailed headpiece. She was joined by rapper Jay-Z and their 14-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy Carter.
"It feels surreal because my daughter's here," Beyonce told Vogue. "It's incredible to be able to share it with her."
Rihanna, who often attends the gala, wore a sculptural silver gown from Maison Margiela with an Art Deco-style headpiece.
Cher chose Burberry, and Stevie Nicks wore a deep blue outfit. K-pop stars, including Blackpink members Jennie, Rose, Lisa, and Jisoo, also attended.
Other notable guests included Bad Bunny, who wore prosthetics and a white wig. Actress Blake Lively attended just hours after resolving a lawsuit related to her film "It Ends with Us."
This year's gala received extra attention when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, were named lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs. In the days before the event, a campaign against their involvement appeared in New York streets and subway stations. Bezos did not walk the red carpet. Wintour said the couple had "shown with this event that they genuinely, genuinely care about giving back."
The Met Gala began in 1948. In the 1990s, Anna Wintour turned it into a major event for celebrities and fashion icons. The "Costume Art" exhibit opens to the public on May 10.
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