The Met Gala 2026

The Met Gala begins and ends at The Carlyle

Art is  Fashion

On the first Monday in May, The Carlyle rolls out its yellow carpet for New York’s starriest night of couture and costume. Icons and luminaries step out of our gilded doors to give the world its first glimpse of the exceptional looks destined for The Costume Institute Benefit – affectionately known as the Met Gala, which marks the opening of the annual fashion exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

Fashion is  Art

This year, we invited New Yorker and fashion illustrator Richard Haines to capture this vivid display of sartorial expression. Haines commits to paper a type of reportage that a paparazzi flashbulb simply cannot convey – imagination, flair and the intangible electricity of the dressed body as art.

A Gathering Place of Legend

 

For nearly a century, The Carlyle has been defined by entertaining, alive with creativity and artistry. As inspired hosts with traditions honed over generations, we bring the world’s most unique together for evenings spent in the greatest of company. From cabaret and classic martinis to red carpet departures and storied after-parties, this is the place of possibility.

 

 

Costume Art at the MET

 

The Carlyle is perfectly located for an afternoon at The Met. Explore the central role of the dressed body through 5,000 years of fashion and art at the Costume Institute.

Frequently Asked Questions 

As guests step out through our gilded doors, The Carlyle's iconic yellow carpet becomes the global stage for the first reveal of each Met Gala ensemble. It is here that unforgettable images are captured and shared around the world, with our Art Deco façade providing the ultimate picture-perfect backdrop.

The Carlyle has been welcoming distinguished guests since the 1930s, and is a long-standing destination for some of the fashion world’s most popular guests to prepare for the annual Met Gala.

The art of entertaining is at the heart of everything we do at The Carlyle, where we play host to some of the most legendary nights in New York history.