The Met Gala is a unique spectacle, bringing together the world's most prominent fashion figures for a night where they either dazzle or disappoint on a grand stage.
Image: Instagram
The Met Gala is not your average red carpet. It’s where fashion either lands or completely falls apart.
The theme for this year, "Costume Art", with the dress code "Fashion Is Art", was a mandate for guests: be bold, be sculptural, and treat your body as a canvas. Safe looks were definitely discouraged.
Despite this clear instruction, some celebrities opted for looks that were far too cautious. Others tried but missed the point.
Below is an honest breakdown of who didn’t deliver and why.
Tyla
Let’s start at home. Our South African diva usually slays, but for her second Met appearance, Tyla was ... fine.
Wearing a bright blue bedazzled Valentino, she went for "Mermaid Glam". It was youthful and polished, sure, but in a room full of "costume art", it felt like a conventional red carpet formula.
The look was safe, predictable, and didn’t push the theme. No sculptural moment, no transformation. Just pretty.
For a second appearance, we expected more.
Tyla, dressed in a bright blue bedazzled Valentino, showcased "Mermaid Glam".
Image: Instagram
Rihanna
This one hurts. Expectations are always high. And not for nothing, we all worship at the altar of Rih. She’s usually the person we're holding our breath for. But this year, Rihanna missed the mark entirely.
Wearing custom Maison Margiela by Glenn Martens. The custom look had structure, crystals, and detail, but something didn’t connect.
The fabric, the shape, and even the colour didn’t land the way they should have. It felt heavy and unclear. For someone who usually owns this carpet, this wasn’t her strongest moment.
Rihanna wearing custom Maison Margiela.
Image: Instagram
Kim Kardashian
Kim K opted for a metallic orange fibreglass bodysuit by artist Allen Jones, complete with a leather half-skirt. It was bold, but it felt like a costume for a DC Comics movie rather than high art. Her ensemble should just be a stand-in for Gal Gadot.
It didn't say "Fashion is art"; it just said, "This is typical Kim". The leather skirt felt disconnected from the plastic-like bodice, making the whole ensemble feel disjointed.
Kim Kardashian’s choice of a metallic orange fibreglass bodysuit, designed by Allen Jones.
Image: Instagram
Charli XCX
Sleek, clean, and very “night out". She stayed true to her brand, but her brand isn't exactly a "museum piece".
Her sleek, Saint Laurent-inspired, Van Gogh-ready silhouette felt like a standard formal event look. In a year that demanded transformation, she looked like she was ready to hit the after-party before the main event even started.
Charli XCX maintained her signature sleek and clean aesthetic
Image: Instagram
Heidi Klum
This one is tricky. She went full concept of a “living sculpture” inspired by classical art.
Designed with prosthetics, it was bold. But the execution felt more Halloween than high fashion. Online reactions were split.
Some saw the effort; others felt it didn’t translate to the red carpet. Not a total miss, but not a win either.
Heidi Klum took a daring leap with a “living sculpture” concept inspired by classical art, complete with prosthetics.
Image: Instagram
Ashley Graham
Her custom Di Petsa dress was elegant but forgettable. The theme called for structure and concept. This felt flat.
No sculptural edge, no storytelling. It didn’t hold its own on a night like this.
Ashley Graham took a more understated approach with her custom Di Petsa dress, which, while elegant, ultimately faded into the background.
Image: Instagram
Georgina Rodríguez
Dressed by Ludovic de Saint Sernin in a sculpted aqua-green "wet" look, she looked more like she was headed to a high-fashion wedding than a conceptual art gala.
Nothing about this screamed "costume art". It was just a bridal gown with a slightly damp finish.
Dressed in a sculpted aqua-green look designed by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Georgina Rodríguez seemed to favour a wedding over what the Met Gala portended
Image: Instagram
Anna Wintour
She is at the Met Gala. But even she isn’t immune to criticism. Wintour gave us nothing. Her Chanel gown stayed true to her signature style: the same silhouette, the same formula.
Online, people noticed.
One comment summed it up: “She’s been wearing variations of this same silhouette for 15 years.” On a night about innovation, this felt repetitive.
Anna Wintour gave us nothing, sporting a Chanel gown reminiscent of her past looks, she epitomised consistency
Image: Instagram