The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s latest exhibition demanded something different from fashion’s biggest night. Where previous years allowed loose interpretation of abstract themes, the 2026 “Fashion is Art” dress code required celebrities to anchor their looks in actual artwork – and defend those choices under the unforgiving glare of art history.
The red carpet became a gallery walk where guests transformed themselves into living masterpieces. Some succeeded brilliantly. Others stumbled into costume territory.
Renaissance Revival Takes Center Stage
Madonna claimed one of the evening’s most ambitious references, channeling Leonora Carrington’s surrealist painting “The Temptation of St. Anthony, Fragment II” from 1945 in custom Saint Laurent. The look captured Carrington’s dreamlike imagery and muted palette, though Madonna’s interpretation leaned more theatrical than the painting’s subtle psychological tension.
Mona Patel went further back in time, drawing from Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man” (1490) through a custom Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda creation. Her gown incorporated the drawing’s geometric proportions and Renaissance philosophy of merging art with science. The dress featured architectural elements that echoed da Vinci’s famous study of human proportions within perfect circles and squares.
Angela Bassett chose a more intimate artistic reference, wearing custom Prabal Gurung inspired by Harlem Renaissance artist Laura Wheeler Waring’s “Girl in Pink Dress” from 1927. The gown replicated Waring’s soft brushstrokes and warm color palette, paying homage to an often-overlooked period in American art history. Bassett’s choice highlighted how the Renaissance movement extended far beyond European masters, encompassing a rich tradition of African American artistic expression during the 1920s.
Gustav Klimt Dominates the Carpet
Two major stars turned to Austrian symbolist Gustav Klimt for inspiration, though with vastly different results. Gracie Abrams wore custom Chanel by Matthieu Blazy that referenced Klimt’s famous “Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I” from 1907. The dress incorporated the painting’s golden Byzantine-inspired patterns and geometric motifs, transforming Klimt’s flat decorative style into three-dimensional haute couture.
Hunter Schafer took a different approach with her custom Prada look, drawing from Klimt’s 1912 painting “Mäda Primavesi.” Schafer’s interpretation focused on the portrait’s bold colors and the subject’s direct gaze rather than Klimt’s signature decorative elements. The choice reflected a deeper understanding of Klimt’s evolution as an artist, moving beyond his most commercially recognized “Golden Period” works.
Contemporary Art Meets Fashion History
Venus Williams made perhaps the most personal artistic statement of the evening, wearing a custom Swarovski gown that directly referenced Robert Pruitt’s “Venus Williams, Double Portrait” from 2022. The painting, commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, depicted Williams as both athlete and cultural icon. Her gown translated Pruitt’s mixed-media approach into crystal embellishments and metallic fabrics, creating a dialogue between the original artwork and its living subject.
Rachel Zegler chose a darker historical reference, commissioning custom Prabal Gurung inspired by Paul Delaroche’s “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey” from 1833. The dramatic painting depicts the final moments of England’s nine-day queen, and Zegler’s interpretation captured the work’s emotional intensity through flowing white fabrics and strategic draping. The choice demonstrated how fashion can honor art’s ability to capture human tragedy and resilience.
Anne Hathaway’s custom Michael Kors Collection featured hand-painted details, though the article’s description cuts off before revealing her complete artistic reference. The mention of hand-painting suggests a direct collaboration between fashion and fine art techniques, blurring the boundaries between wearable design and gallery-worthy creation.
The evening proved that when celebrities engage seriously with art history, fashion transcends mere costume and becomes cultural commentary. These looks didn’t just reference famous paintings – they interpreted artistic movements, honored overlooked artists, and demonstrated how contemporary fashion can serve as a bridge between historical art and modern audiences. Whether guests succeeded depended not on budget or designer prestige, but on their willingness to understand the art that inspired them.
