It’s officially the first Tuesday in May, which means we’re looking back on the best looks to grace the Met Gala 2026. The theme for the Costume Institute’s exhibit—opening to the public this Sunday, May 10—is simply “Costume Art,” while the gala’s accompanying dress code decreed “Fashion Is Art.”
After the theme was announced back in November, designers, stars, stylists, and Met patrons had six months to interpret their rather vague, yet declarative, marching orders. Many editors and fashion commentators took to heart the words of Costume Institute head curator Andrew Bolton— “Really, who doesn’t want a six-pack for the night?”—predicting a carpet filled with body-forward trompe l’oeil pulls from the archives and sculptural, if not amorphous, tailoring off recent runways.
But, as always, the Met’s invitees surprise us. From octogenarian cosplay and Tom of Finland homage to simple, elegant tailoring and an impressive smorgasbord of icy brooches, here are our 12 favorite menswear looks from the Met Gala 2026.
12. Anderson .Paak
Anderson could have landed on this list just for his tastefully-flashy embroidered dinner jacket by Amiri. But it’s the footwear that takes the look to the next tier of Met Gala greatness. Yes, those are a custom pair of Tory Burch’s iconic aughts ballet flats, first introduced 20 years ago and last seen on men, well, never. Did we just witness the launch of a surprise style trend on the Met steps?
Anderson .Paak in Amiri and Tory Burch flats.
Michael Buckner/Getty Images
11. Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough
Loewe’s co-creative directors, Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez, brought a producer-specific red carpet nostalgia to the Met’s stairs. Clad in dark suits—Hernandez in a white shirt with a tucked-in black tie, McCullough in a charcoal shirt, cinched with a dark teal tie—the designer duo tucked their hands into their pockets to pose for the cameras, letting their shiny leather shoes do the talking.