Beyoncé, Rihanna and Heidi Klum Among 5 Stars Who Turned the Met Gala 2026 Into Wearable Art

• Rihanna, Tyla and Beyoncé led a night of bold, custom “Fashion is Art” looks, with celebrities turning the red carpet into a showcase of creativity and statement style
• Beyoncé wowed in a sculptural skeleton-inspired gown, while Rihanna delivered a futuristic Maison Margiela ensemble that cemented her reputation as a fashion risk-taker
• Tyla drew inspiration from a peacock for her Valentino look, while Heidi Klum and Bad Bunny impressed with their artistic, transformative outfits
• Briefly News spoke to fashion designer and celebrity stylist Zoe Bhozza about the incredible looks at the 2026 Met Gala

Hollywood’s creme de la creme showed up and showed out at fashion’s biggest night. From Rihanna to Tyla and Beyoncé, celebrities embraced the “Fashion is Art” theme with bold, custom-made masterpieces that had fashion lovers buzzing.

1. Beyoncé nails the theme

Beyoncé proved why she is considered the queen of music and fashion. The global icon made her highly anticipated return to the Met Gala after ten years, and it's safe to say she was worth the wait. The singer rocked up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in a skeleton-inspired silver gown and long, fluffy cape by Olivier Rousteing, a matching headpiece and silver jewellery by Chopard.

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Queen Bey was accompanied by her husband Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy, who made history by becoming the youngest person to grace the Met Gala.

2. Rihanna ate and left no crumbs with her look

We all know Rihanna never misses when it comes to her looks. The star always steps out in show-stopping outfits, and this year's event was not an exception. In a stunning gown from Maison Margiela, the singer aced the theme for the night, pairing the look with a gorgeous, futuristic-chic glam. Her hair appeared to be a sort of slicked-back mullet, decorated with gold curls throughout the entirety of her head.

3. Tyla on the inspo behind her look

Our girl Tyla represented with her Met Gala 2026 look. South Africans were looking forward to the Grammy winner's look this year, after her iconic sand dress at the 2024 Met Gala and the elegant black and white look at the 2025 event. Her third Met Gala look did not disappoint as she made it to the best-dressed celebs once again.

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Briefly News spoke with fashion designer and celebrity stylist Zoe Bhozza about Tyla's look, "The feathers act as a backdrop rather than competing, which is very intentional styling. It also leans into fantasy, almost celestial, almost divine. The headpiece alone elevates it into something iconic, not just fashionable," she explained.

Speaking to Vogue about her custom Valentino look, the Water singer said she was inspired by a peacock. Watch the video below:

Heidi Klim's marble look steals the show

Heidi Klum's team is always one step ahead when it comes to staying on top of event themes. The supermodel, who is popular for her iconic Halloween costumes, took her love for the spooky looks to the red carpet.

Speaking about her jaw-dropping look, Klum said her look, which included draped robes, facial prosthetics and a floral wreath, was inspired by Italian artist Raffaele Monti’s “Veiled Vestal” sculpture.

5. Bad Bunny's transformation leaves fans in awe

Bad Bunny stepped out of the box with a transformation that shocked the world. The Puerto Rican rapper stepped onto the red carpet in old age make-up, white hair and a black suit with a cane to complete the look.

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Celebrity stylist shares thoughts on Beyoncé's look

Speaking exclusively to Briefly News, radio host and fashion designer Zoe Bhozza said Queen Bey perfectly embodied the “Fashion is Art” theme because her look went beyond clothing and felt like a complete artistic performance.

She praised the dramatic feathers, crystal detailing, and divine-inspired headpiece, saying the outfit looked sculptural and theatrical while still remaining controlled and elegant. She said:

“For me, this is where the ‘fashion is art’ theme really lands. With Beyoncé, it’s never just about the outfit; it’s the full composition.

"The feathers create this dramatic frame, almost like she’s the artwork itself, and then the crystal detailing on the body feels sculptural… like anatomy turned into couture."

She added:

"What I love is the control. It’s big, it’s theatrical, but it’s not chaotic. There’s a clear focal point, and everything supports that. Even the headpiece pushes it into something almost celestial, almost divine. It’s not just fashion, it’s performance art. And that’s exactly what the theme calls for."

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Tyla leaves little to the imagination with her risqué look

In more news about fashion, Briefly News reported that Tyla sent social media into a frenzy, commanding the spotlight at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.

There to present the Breakthrough Award to her friend and She Did it Again collaborator, Zara Larsson, the singer left very little to the imagination in a daring, risqué feather ensemble by Javier Collazo that perfectly accentuated her signature physique and effortless star power.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News