How the body can be a canvas for expression and storytelling made the 2026 Met Gala a remarkable event, and jewelry showed how attendees—given a dress code of “Fashion is Art”—used diamonds, colored gemstones, and gold to illuminate their imaginative forms.
Monday’s Met Gala raised an impressive $42 million for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. That record-breaking figure included a $10 million donation from honorary chairs and key sponsors Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, whose presence was controversial yet brought even more eyes to the red carpet.
The annual event known as the biggest night in fashion was considered a combination of successful interpretations of the theme as well as others that some say completely missed the artistic mark.
Among the must-see looks of the night: co-chair Beyoncé—making her first Met appearance in a decade—who wore an embellished Olivier Rousteing skeleton gown along with a diamond-studded suite of Chopard high jewelry. Husband Jay-Z also gave a top-notch look with a Briony Raymond brooch worn in a tie-meets-ascot kind of way.
Host committee members Sabrina Carpenter, Zoë Kravitz, and Teyana Taylor also were red-carpet standouts. Carpenter wore a Dior black halter dress made of film strips from Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 movie Sabrina. She accessorized with Chopard, including a necklace in 18k white gold with 54.84 cts. of diamonds and a necklace in 18k white gold with 48.15 cts. of diamonds hanging from her dress (all from the Haute Joaillerie collection), as well as an 18k white gold and diamond ring from the Ice Cube Collection.
Kravitz, whose infamous engagement ring was conspicuously hidden from view most of the night, wore bespoke 14.77 ct. emerald-cut and pear-shape diamond Cry Baby Earrings and a ring from Jessica McCormack’s new Medallions collection. And Taylor looked like a walking sculpture in her Tom Ford silver fringed gown and matching fringed headdress.
The best dressed of all included Emma Chamberlain, whose hand-pained Mugler gown and Chopard jewelry made her a favorite among fashion critics. Janelle Monáe proved her legacy as a show-stopping diva with her moss-meets-electronics Christian Siriano gown with a Rainbow K ring. And Sarah Paulson made everyone pause with her dollar-bill mask, custom gray Matières Fécales gown, and Boucheron jewelry.
Additional applause goes to billionaire philanthropist and style icon Sudha Reddy, who wore a Manish Malhotra Tree of Life gown that spoke to her heritage and culture—and it only took 3,459 hours and 90 artisans to create.
Her jewelry included pieces from Reddy’s personal collection, anchored by the striking 550 ct. Queen of Merelani deep violet-blue tanzanite. The suite was completed by a 23 ct. yellow diamond ring as well as a 30 ct. rose-cut polki diamond ring.
In a statement, Reddy said she was proud to bring Indian craftsmanship into the international spotlight.
“Hyderabad is my foundation, and this ensemble is a translation of that cultural identity into a language that is both global and deeply personal. To me, Costume Art is more than a theme; it is a design language where couture becomes a vessel for memory and heritage,” Reddy said. “Indian craftsmanship isn’t a legacy confined to history—it is a living, breathing art form. Collaborating with Manish Malhotra to bring this vision to the global stage has been a profound journey in storytelling.”
Here are some of JCK‘s top looks from the glamorous night of fashion.
Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson wore the Boucheron Ruban Diamants white gold and diamond transformable piece, from the Histoire de Style Art Déco high jewelry collection, in a necklace version, as well as Etoile de Paris white gold and diamond stud earrings.
Hailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber wore Belperron jewelry, including earrings and rings from the house’s Virgin Gold collection to complement the bodice of her Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello dress. (Virgin Gold was a proprietary technique Belperron created with 22k gold reinforced with an 18k backing that makes it more structural.) Each piece is hand-hammered, chiseled, and burnished so that it seems to softly glow. She wore the Leaf Earclips, Et Moi Ring, and Bourrelets Ring in sapphire and emerald.
Anne Hathaway
Coming hot off the The Devil Wears Prada 2 press tour, Hathaway chose a Bulgari Vimini high jewelry necklace, which she paired with a Vimini earring and high jewelry ring. The necklace features 18k yellow gold with 35.25 cts. t.w. pavé-set diamonds.
Hugh Jackman
The song-and-dance man wore a Briony Raymond transformable diamond brooch circa 1950s, as well as a Piaget Altiplano Moonphase watch.
Hudson Williams
The Heated Rivalry star chose a Bulgari high jewelry diamond necklace, which he paired with a high jewelry diamond ring.
Top: Wearing a custom Thom Browne gown, actress Chase Infinity made her Met Gala debut in New York–based fine jewelry brand Marli. She wore Lady Liberty earrings featuring diamonds, green tourmaline, white opal, and tsavorite; a bracelet and ring from the Cleo collection; and two rings from the Twilight collection. (Photo: Getty/courtesy of Marli New York)
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