Beauty Was Art, Too, at the 2026 Met Gala

Last night, some of fashion’s biggest names walked the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art to celebrate the 2026 Met Ball, with the theme of “Costume Art.” But the night started with—and featured throughout—many forms of art beyond those found inside the museum’s hallowed halls.

Case in point? The hair and makeup artists working behind the scenes at the museum with the performance artists scheduled throughout the night. It took dozens—led by MAC global director of makeup artistry Romero Jennings, Glamsquad cofounder Giovanni Vaccaro, and hairstylist Dre Demry-Sanders—to outfit the crew.

The brief for performance artists mostly focused on individuality, much like artists who are experts in their own fields. First came the troupe that performed a cover of Whitney Houston’s famed “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” on the Met steps—lifts, harmonies, high kicks, and all. “Their look is an elevated take on the clean-girl aesthetic that is still so popular,” says Jennings about the ensemble’s styling direction. “It’s a slight wash of color on the eyes with Multisculpt Matte Liquid Eye Shadow and the lipstick shade Habit, which is basically like your lips but a little bit more.” Hair was kept simple too. “We kept the hair natural, working with the texture by enhancing it,” Vaccaro shared, adding that the Shark SpeedStyle hair dryer and products from Oribe and Olaplex helped to get the looks just right—simple and stylish.

Inside the museum, a melody of harpists awaited the Met Gala guests. Their hair and makeup were a bit more art focused. Jennings described the makeup look as “Dutch Masters meets ‘90s cool-toned shades,” which included more Mutisculpt Eye Shadow and a focus on highlighting the cheeks and collarbones with Extra Dimension Blush in shade Into the Pink. “It gives a glow you can see from across the room,” Jennings adds. The hairstyle from Demry-Sanders also had an art buzzword: Botticelli, specifically, The Birth of Venus. “The harpists are wearing these beautiful dresses that look like they just came out of the water,” she says. “I wanted to give them hair to match, which means that hair should look like it has movement, even when it’s gelled in place.” Swirling tendrils curled across cheeks and foreheads to get the desired effect.

Whether simple or more artful, each look made the case for beauty being an art too—total masterpieces.

Photographed by Elinor Kry

Photographed by Elinor Kry