On November 17, the Metropolitan Museum of Art officially announced the theme for the Costume Institute’s major 2026 exhibition: “Costume Art.” The exhibition reexamines the human body itself as a central theme in art history, traversing more than 5,000 years of art and dress.
Featuring approximately 200 garments and accessories presented alongside an equal number of artworks, the exhibition explores how fashion and the body have interacted and shaped one another throughout history. It signals a departure from traditional fashion displays that often prioritize visual spectacle, offering a more nuanced and embodied approach.
Andrew Bolton on the Concept Behind the Exhibition
Andrew Bolton, Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute, articulated the philosophy guiding the exhibition.
Bolton explained: “The idea was to put the body back into discussions about art and fashion, and to embrace the body, not to take it away as a way of elevating fashion to an art form.”
He also highlighted the inseparable relationship between dress and the human form: “the indivisible connection between our bodies and the clothes we wear.”
This perspective positions the exhibition around a key idea: fashion’s essence emerges not from garments alone, but from the moment clothing and body come together.
Six Thematic “Bodies” Shape the Exhibition
The exhibition examines the universality and diversity of the human body through six themes:
- The Naked Body
- The Classical Body
- The Pregnant Body
- The Aging Body
- The Anatomical Body
- The Mortal Body
For example, Albrecht Dürer’s 1504 engraving Adam and Eve will be displayed alongside a 2009 spandex bodysuit by Walter Van Beirendonck, creating a dialogue across eras and cultures about how the body is interpreted and represented.
Opening the Newly Built Condé M. Nast Galleries
“Costume Art” will also serve as the inaugural exhibition for the new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries, located beside the museum’s iconic Great Hall.
This marks a pivotal shift: after decades of being housed primarily in lower-level galleries, the Costume Institute’s main exhibitions will now move to a central, high-visibility location within the museum.
Regarding this milestone, Bolton commented: “It will be transformative for our department, but I also think it’s going to be transformative to fashion more generally—the fact that an art museum like The Met is actually giving a central location to fashion.”
Mirror Mannequins and Body Casts: A New Way of “Seeing the Body”
To deepen visitors’ engagement with the theme of embodiment, the exhibition will introduce innovative installation methods.
Bolton noted: “I’ve always wanted to try to bridge the gap between the viewer and the mannequin.”
The exhibition will incorporate mirrored mannequins and casts made from real human bodies. Bolton further explained: “I want visitors to reflect on the lived experience of the bodies you’re looking at, and also to reflect your own lived experience—to facilitate empathy and compassion.”
These choices invite viewers to experience fashion not only visually, but physically and emotionally.
The 2026 Met Gala Will Share the Same Theme
The theme “Costume Art” will also define The Met Gala 2026, where guests will be challenged to interpret the idea of “the body as art.” Corporeality, materiality, and sculptural expression are expected to be key creative directions.
Although the official dress code will be announced in 2026, it is clear that the central question posed to attendees will be how they reinterpret and present the human body through fashion.
The Met Gala 2026 will be held on Monday, May 4, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue. The gala remains the Costume Institute’s primary fundraising event, supporting the department’s operations throughout the year. The “Costume Art” exhibition will open to the public on May 10, 2026, and run through January 10, 2027.
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