The first decor element guests encounter at the gala—and the one broadcast around the world—is, of course, the red carpet. But this year’s carpet isn’t red, and at first glance, it might not even look like a carpet. That’s because the carpet for the 2026 Met Gala was hand-painted to resemble a stone garden pathway, a tan design with patches of moss green, all creating the feeling that it has “been there for a long time,” says Àvila.
Photographed by Poupay Jutharat
The carpet is framed by wisteria, which lines the tent’s ceiling and walls. “It’s soft, it’s romantic, it says spring,” McLane says. Focusing on one texture gives it a “simplicity of modernity, which I think is right for this year,” he adds.
As guests ascend the carpeted stairs into the museum, posing for photos along the way, they will take their first steps into a magical garden assembled for the evening.
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