One of the biggest nights in fashion officially kicked off at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This year’s Met theme stepped away from specific historical periods, embracing a simple yet powerful idea, ‘Fashion Is Art’. That left plenty of room for celebrities to blend high fashion with artistic elements, whether inspired by sculptures, paintings, or something more abstract, and they did not disappoint. We were especially impressed by the Asian celebrities who showed up to the Met Gala 2026 clearly understanding the assignment. Below are some of our favourite looks from this year.
Met Gala 2026: The Asian celebrities who nailed the theme
Lisa
The first K-pop artist to be a Met Gala host committee, Lisa is definitely one of the most well-known faces in the luxury fashion realm. She showed up to the Met Gala with a dramatic Robert Wun ensemble featuring extra hands holding up her veil.
Karan Johar
The man behind numerous cult favourite Bollywood movies, Karan Johar made his Met Gala debut looking like royalty. Dressed by Manish Malhotra (who also attended the Met this year), Karan’s grand ensemble was inspired by legendary Indian painter, Raja Ravi Varma.
EJAE
The voice behind Rumi in K-Pop Demon Hunters, EJAE’s made her debut in a bedazzled Swarovski gown. The ‘Golden’ lady showed up fully in silver and opted for a bold smokey eye look.
Cai Xukun
The Chinese singer and rapper known simply as ‘Kun’, is one of China’s most prominent pop stars. His Thom Browne outfit was actually a nod to his own artistic form. His music. His suit that mimics blood dripping down was inspired by his upcoming single Deadman, featured on his new album.
Grace Ling
Contemporary designer Grace Ling flaunted her own bodice masterpiece on the Met Gala carpet this year. She paired her metallic silver top with a contrasting black maxi skirt. The devil is in the details—her bracelet, headpiece, and even her nails matched the top perfectly.
Eileen Gu
At only 22 years of age, Eileen Gu has not only won three Olympic gold medals as a freestyle skier, she has also become of the luxury fashion’s most prominent athlete faces. To match her bubbly personality, Eileen’s Iris Van Herpen dress was fairy-like, and she had literal bubbles blown at her on the carpet too!
Isha Ambani
Daughter of the richest man in Asia, Isha Ambani represented Indian culture and couture at the Met Gala. Adorned in a custom sculpted Guarav Gupta saree, and her jewel-embedded blouse actually features her mother, Nita Ambani’s private collection of over 1,800 carats of polki diamonds and emeralds. But despite that, all eyes went on her peculiar accessory, a steel mango artwork made by Subodh Gupta, a playful accessory and a nod to India being the biggest consumer of mangoes!
Jisoo
Pretty in pink, Jisoo made her Met Gala debut this year dressed in an elegant Dior sequin gown. The dress is draped gazar, embroidered with a garden scene and trimmed with floral bouquets. It also features a headpiece with fabric flower embroidery, along with a stunning, one-of-a-kind Cartier Grain de Café necklace.
Husdon Williams
Another Asian star making his Met Gala debut, Heated Rivalry heartthrob Hudson Williams arrived in a baby blue Balenciaga co-ord featuring a cropped blazer. The look was adorned with ornate black trim and tassels, which he completed with a diamond choker. Unbuttoned blazer aside, the boldest part of his ensemble was his eye makeup, featuring glittering red and blue eyeshadow.
Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo
An entrepreneur, investor, and strategic advisor focused on frontier technologies, Yu-Chi Lyra Kuo is a tech maven. Her stunning Met look drew inspiration from the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the marble sculpture representing the Greek goddess of victory, Nike. Her all-white gown by Jean Paul Gaultier certainly turned heads at the event.
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.