2026 Met Gala Menswear Red Carpet

Here is a look at the remaining menswear look which were notable from the 2026 Met Gala.

Beaded Bodywork

One of my favourite looks from the entire 2026 Met Gala came courtesy of Jeremy Pope, which should surprise absolutely no one considering how consistently he delivers for this event.

We saw plenty of references to “the body” throughout the night from Chase Infiniti to the Jenners, but Jeremy translated the idea into menswear in this Vivienne Westwood MAN Autumn-Winter 1996/97 look.

The corseted jacket, densely embroidered with pearls, glass beads, sequins, and crystal embellishment, transformed his torso into a sculpted illusion. It felt part armour, part anatomy study, with the black contouring creating exaggerated musculature across the chest and waist. The craftsmanship alone is staggering, but what really sold it was the precision of the fit and Jeremy’s confidence in wearing something this confrontational. The flared trousers and sharply pointed shoes stopped the look from becoming too archive-costume reliant. This was fashion theatre executed at the highest level.

Matador Camp

Hudson Williams, an ambassador for Balenciaga, wore a custom pale blue matador-inspired suit rooted in a 1947 bolero jacket designed by house founder Cristóbal Balenciaga. The look carried all the drama required for the Met Gala thanks to the sweeping black cape, while the intricate black embroidery framed the cropped jacket beautifully. There was also a clear sense of Pierpaolo Piccioli engaging with the archives here, reworking historic references through a more theatrical lens. That contrast between soft powder blue and the severity of the cape gave the look presence on the carpet.

Then we get to the makeup

The exaggerated smoky eye pushed things into fully performative territory. I understand the intention, but for me it crossed into comedy. Without it, the tailoring and cape already had enough personality to carry the look.

Art History Lesson

Ben Platt wore a hand-painted and embroidered Tanner Fletcher suit inspired by Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, which also features in the Costume Art 2026 Met Gala exhibition.

This could have easily tipped into novelty, but the execution kept it charming. The faded mint tones and painterly embroidery gave the suit a dreamlike quality without looking overly precious. I especially appreciated the styling choice of the white shoes, which kept the palette light and cohesive instead of grounding it with a heavy black shoe.

There is something refreshingly earnest about Ben’s red carpet style. He commits fully to these softer, artistic menswear moments, and this felt entirely authentic to him.

The Michael Jackson Effect

Even in classic Ralph Lauren tailoring, Jaafar Jackson still finds a way to channel his uncle Michael Jackson.

The gold-trimmed velvet blazer immediately evokes Michael’s military-inspired stage costumes, and then we arrive at the red socks paired with ballet flats. I can already imagine some people not loving that combination, but honestly, it makes complete sense with context. Michael always understood the power of a flash of red, and the ballet flats feel like a direct nod to dance and performance.

The minute I saw those shoes, Blame It On The Boogie started playing in my head.

Full Leather Commitment

Luke Evans wore a custom leather look from Palomo Spain complete with studded detailing, “Ass-Air” trousers with the signature back opening, and a matching leather cap by Vivascarrion Artmilliners.

The references were Tom of Finland’s illustrations, queer-coded leather subcultures, biker iconography, collided to give Village People energy in one look. The hyper-fitted silhouette, glossy leather finish, and aggressive accessorising made absolutely no attempt to play things safe.

Is it costumey? Absolutely.

But the Met Gala is one of the few places where that actually works in your favour, and I admire Luke for committing fully to the brief instead of retreating into standard tuxedo territory.

Duvet Couture

Jon Batiste gave us what can only be described as Duvet Haute Couture in this custom ERL look.

The oversized padded outerwear created a striking silhouette, and I appreciate the idea behind it, but the execution lacked refinement for me. A more streamlined trouser would have balanced the volume far more effectively.

Blackout Glamour

Maluma wore Tom Ford by Haider Ackermann in an all-black embellished look which echoed the same subtle shimmer and dark glamour we saw on Rebecca Hall.

Haider Ackermann understands how to make black tailoring feel seductive instead of predictable, with glittered finish across the jacket setting down that path.

Maluma’s slicked-back hair and relaxed attitude did the rest.

Simple on paper, but sharply executed.

Finally

As someone who feels Patrick Schwarzenegger’s style has fallen off over the past calendar year, I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed this custom Public School look inspired by Salvador Dalí.

The sharply exaggerated leather shoulders, sweeping coat proportions, cane, gloves, and pencil moustache could have become painfully theatrical, yet Patrick managed to keep it elegant instead of cartoonish. The look tapped into Dalí’s surrealist image without looking like a Halloween interpretation of the artist.

Most importantly, he looked fully committed. That confidence made the difference here. This was a genuine fashion risk that actually paid off for him.

He Never Fails

Stanley Tucci, joined by his wife Felicity Blunt in Etro, wore a custom hunter green velvet tuxedo from the same house.

There is something eternally reliable about Tucci in tailoring. The richness of the velvet is one thing, but the dark green tone offered a subtle alternative to standard black evening wear. I also liked the pocket square detail, which added a touch of personality. Finished with a Breitling timepiece, the styling felt refined and entirely in step with his understated approach to red carpet dressing.

Leather Youth Culture

Burberry drew inspiration not only from Romeo Beckham’s personal wardrobe, but also the self-portraits of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

The influence was immediately visible in the cropped leather jacket layered over elongated tailoring. Mapplethorpe’s fascination with leather as both uniform and youthful rebellion translated well into this sharp monochromatic look. The proportions felt clean, modern, and much more confident.

The De Beers jewels added just enough shine.

FTC Disclaimer: Keep in mind that I may receive commissions when you click links and make purchases. However, this does not impact my reviews.