The Met Gala for 2026 has wrapped up. And netizens, who reviewed this year's outfits - had way too much fun as memes started flooding on social media platforms.
And while some memes were witty, others were straight up savage.
Pop Culture Significance of Met Gala
The Met Gala is considered to be one of the most iconic and prestigious events in pop culture. It is often referred to as fashion's biggest night and always happens on the first Monday of May. Proceeds from the charity gala go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
The event features a 2 to 3 hour red carpet on the museum's steps, the exhibition tour and cocktail hour (exhibition tour and cocktail hour happen simultaneously). The cocktail hour is closely followed by a formal sit down dinner, after which the gala officially concludes.
Met Gala 2026: The Hosts & Committee
The hosts for Met Gala wre tennis player Venus Williams, pop star and singer-songwriter Beyonce, actress Nicole Kidman and Vogue's former editor in chief Anna Wintour, who stepped down to become the Global Chief Content Officer for Conde Nast. Jeff Bezos and Lauren were the honorary co chairs this year, which sparked heavy backlash at the time of announcement.
Meanwhile, the host committe included actress Zoe Kravitz and fashion designer Anthony Vacarello. British influencer Emma Chamberlain returned as the official red carpet correspondent.
How Celebrities Interpreted the 2026 Dress Code
The theme for Met Gala 2026 was 'Costume Art', while the corresponding dress code was 'Fashion is Art'. While some stars stuck to the theme, others misinterpreted the theme in hilarious ways.
Scultupural ensembles, naked dresses and face masks/blindfolds dominated the red carpet this year.
Why the Met Gala Is Meme Gold
Every year, the Met Gala has a new dress code and theme. The themes tend to be abstract or vague. This leads to confusion and chaos, as celebrities often end up misinterpreting the themes.
Couture or Confusion? The Funniest Memes from Met Gala 2026
Supermodel Heidi Klum turned up as a literal statue, which reminded many users of Hrithik Roshan in Dhoom 2. One user remarked on X: "didn't know hrithik roshan went to the met gala this year.'
Similarly Bad Bunny's look, who showed up as an old man, also sparked comparisons to Hrithik Roshan's old man avatar from Dhoom 2.
Popstar and former American Idol judge Katy Perry wore a custom Stella McCartney gown and a dramatic face covering headpiece. The headpiece resonated quite a bit with introverts. "Me when my social battery runs out", one user joked about the look.
Another X user, who goes by the name of Betsy said "When they say let's hangout after 9 PM. Me:" accompanied by a video of Perry having fun with her mask on the red carpet.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 had a perfectly timed release, shortly before this year's Met Gala. and many users quipped that Miranda Priestly (one of the main character from The Devil Wears Prada, heavily inspired by Anna Wintour) would have attended the event.
"If they really wanted to market Devil Wears Prada 2, Miranda Priestly would be attending the Met Gala tonight", a user by the name of Tommy Hawkins remarked.
Another user hilariously quipped "Pregamed the Met Gala by seeing The Devil Wears Prada 2 im locked tf in".
Karan Johar, made his Met Gala debut this year in black and gold outfit from Manish Malhotra, inspired by the Raja Ravi Verma. And his outfit went viral. One user said on X "That moment you realize you're matching with the sofa cover"
Actor Luke Evans wore an all brown ensemble comprised entirely of leather also drew attention. One user claimed that his ensemble was reminiscent of inspector Chingum from Motu Patlu.
Actress Rachel Zegler wore a custom white Prabal Gurung gown and silk chiffon mask inspired by the Lady Jane Grey painting. And it reminded one eagled eyed user of Gandhari from Mahabharat.
Reality TV personality and socialite Kim Kardashian wore a futuristic orange breastplate paired with a flowy skirt. Her outfit was not very well received to say the least. "she looks like the new iphone help bye," one user claimed. Another user called it her second worst look at the Met Gala.
The Most Viral Outfits from Met Gala 2026
Multiple other looks from Met Gala 2026 went viral. Prominent examples included Beyonce's custom Olivier Rousteing dress for its skeletal design, French influencer Lena Mahfouf's two piece ensemble, with metallic hands provocatively placed at her breasts, Kendall Jenner's custom Zac Posen gown, inspired by the Greek sculpture Winged Victory of Samothrace, Blake Lively's pastel hued Atelier Versace gown and Sabrina Carpenter's custom Dior gown, comprised mainly of filmstrips.