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At the 2026 Met Gala, jewellery became far more than an accessory. This year’s theme, “Costume Art,” explored fashion as an embodied art form, bridging couture and fine art - and many of the evening’s strongest looks used jewellery as part of the artwork itself.
From heirloom gemstones woven into garments to watches transformed into body adornment, the red carpet showed how jewellery can shape silhouette, storytelling, and artistic expression.
Irina Shayk at the 2026 Met Gala wore one of the evening’s most experimental jewellery-focused looks, designed by Alexander Wang using what the designer described as “surrealist principles.” Rather than functioning as accessories, the jewellery pieces became the outfit itself - perfectly aligning with the “Costume Art” theme’s focus on fashion as wearable art.
Her look featured repurposed jewellery throughout: watches were transformed into arm cuffs and chokers, rings were suspended as pendants, and rows of diamond tennis bracelets formed a sculptural bra. The effect was almost collage-like, as though individual jewellery pieces had been deconstructed and rebuilt into couture.
Isha M. Ambani at the 2026 Met Gala incorporated family heirloom jewellery directly into her bustier, describing it on the red carpet as a “blouse full of my mother’s jewellery.”
Her look featured rows of heirloom diamonds, a diamond-and-emerald brooch, and a striking 50-carat Colombian emerald previously worn by Angelina Jolie at the 2009 Oscars. By integrating inherited gemstones into the couture itself, the look transformed family history into art. Lisa at the 2026 Met Gala wore a sculptural Robert Wun design. To achieve the effect, Lisa and Wun reportedly worked together to 3D-scan her own arms, creating a veiled arrangement inspired by traditional Thai dance positions. The result felt somewhere between sculpture, performance costume, and fine art installation. The jewellery itself reinforced the illusion. The mannequin wore a diamond pavé serpentine watch bracelet in 18k white gold, featuring a scale-like crosshatch design set with 425 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 17 carats. She completed the look with a cabochon-cut sapphire necklace. Sabrina Carpenter at the 2026 Met Gala used jewellery to extend the theatricality of her look. Her dress incorporated film from the 1954 Audrey Hepburn movie Sabrina. The jewellery echoed this same sense of performance and ornamentation. Carpenter wore pear-shaped diamond drop earrings set in 18ct white gold, alongside a matching diamond drop headpiece that mirrored the shape and movement of the earrings. A bedazzled disc stamped with her first name sat dramatically at the centre of her forehead, while two extraordinary diamond necklaces - weighing 58.84 carats and 48.15 carats respectively - cascaded down the back of the dress and looped elegantly from the middle fingers on both hands. SZA at the 2026 Met Gala embraced layered jewellery in a way that felt deeply sculptural and symbolic. Her look featured stacked bracelets mirrored within an elaborate headpiece made from chains of cowrie shells and champagne-toned gemstones. The repetition of jewellery shapes across the body created a cohesive, artistic composition that aligned perfectly with the immersive nature of this year’s theme. Sabine Getty at the 2026 Met Gala paired a hand-painted corset inspired by 18th-century portraiture with an emerald and diamond halo ring from her personal collection. What made the look especially fitting for the “Costume Art” theme was that the painted corset itself featured a hand wearing the very same emerald ring - blurring the line between artwork and reality. The jewellery became both part of the painting and part of the finished look, turning the ensemble into a living piece of art. … The 2026 Met Gala showed that jewellery is no longer simply an accessory - it can shape a silhouette, tell a story, and become part of the artwork itself. From reinvented heirlooms to sculptural diamond pieces, this year’s red carpet celebrated jewellery as a true form of creative expression. At Holts Gems, we believe the most meaningful jewellery should feel just as personal and individual. Whether reimagining inherited pieces or creating something entirely bespoke, our team can help bring your own vision to life.
Lisa at the 2026 Met Gala
Sabrina Carpenter at the 2026 Met Gala
SZA at the 2026 Met Gala
Sabine Getty at the 2026 Met Gala
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