Sabrina Carpenter is doing the 2026 Met Gala her way after facing criticism for her red carpet look last year.
The pop star, 26, expertly embodied the “Costume Art” theme at the Monday, May 4, fundraiser at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
“This is all made of film, which is my dream,” Carpenter told Vogue while describing her custom Dior slit tulle dress by Jonathan Anderson. The look also seemingly paid homage to Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 film Sabrina, which is further showcased by the full body wrap of rhinestone film strips.
This marks Carpenter’s fourth time attending the Met Gala. She made her debut in a glittering gold two-piece Paco Rabanne ensemble in 2022. Two years later, she went full princess in an Oscar de la Renta gown with a strapless black bodice and voluminous blue skirt.
In 2025, Carpenter wore her most daring Met Gala look yet, going pantsless in a Louis Vuitton burgundy bodysuit with a long train and a matching tuxedo jacket. The singer credited Pharrell Williams — the men’s creative director for the luxury brand — for envisioning the bold ensemble.
“I’m such a massive fan of Pharrell’s and have been to the show and I was just like, ‘If I could go this year with him, that would be my dream.’ And it came true,” she told Vogue of their Met Gala collaboration. “He was like, ‘You’re quite short so no pants for you.’ So here we are.”
Carpenter’s Louis Vuitton look divided fans on fashion’s biggest night, as some argued her stature would have given the brand a unique opportunity to demonstrate the power of proper tailoring, especially since the theme of the evening was “Tailored for You.”
“If Pharrell did tell Sabrina she’s too short for a pants look, that’s him saying they don’t know how to tailor down at LV HQ lol,” one person quipped on X at the time, while another responded, “That’s what I thought too when she said it like ummmm missed opportunity to show off tailoring skills!”
One X user made an entire thread of potential improvements to Carpenter’s outfit, claiming the suggestions would have made it more complementary for her figure.
“I would never suggest this color or the ‘ringmaster’ costume to begin with, but it’s a perfect example of how dressing against your body type can go horribly wrong,” the person wrote.
In response to the individual’s criticism of her ensemble, Carpenter made light of the feedback, joking via X, “Damn I f***ed up.”
Regardless of the public’s opinion, Carpenter was thrilled about her Louis Vuitton look for one very particular reason.
“Never been to the bathroom once because I’ve never been able to use it in my outfit. So tonight might be the night,” she told Vogue, referring to her past Met Gala experiences. “We’ll see. … And I’m just gonna let everybody know what it looks like. I’m sure it’s just a normal museum bathroom, but I’m excited to find out.”
Since last year’s Met Gala, Carpenter has been plenty busy with her thriving career. Some highlights include the release of her seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, in August 2025 and her headlining gig at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April.
