The one outfit that had everyone stopping in their tracks at the 2026 Met Gala was that of Hailey Bieber. The Costume Art theme meant that the focus should be on sculptural, body-revealing clothing, which the Rhode founder provided with a custom-made Saint Laurent gown designed by Anthony Vaccarello.
The bodice was made out of pure 24 karat gold, cast right on her body to achieve an effect of wearable sculpture. In this way, the dress evoked a museum-style artwork rather than evening wear. This effect was reminiscent of a Yves Saint Laurent haute couture creation of 1969 with Claude Lalanne.
The gold top contrasted the fluidity of the cobalt blue silk chiffon skirt that swung around her with each step, exposing glimpses of the metallic leather shoes beneath it. To complete the ensemble, she added a complementing flowing cape, giving a dupatta-like impression.
What made Hailey Bieber’s Met Gala look more impressive was that it is an indicator of a greater trend occurring on the red carpet in 2026; the subtle emergence of dupattas on international red carpets.
The same design techniques were repeated on multiple outfits at the 2026 Oscars. Gracie Abrams was one example of this as she wore an extravagant tulle floor-length skirt that had draped elements reminiscent of the South Asian wedding styles. Bella Hadid also looked stunning in her butter-coloured satin two-piece Prada set and floor-length skirt with what many have called a neck scarf or dupatta.
The social media users were quick to acknowledge the impact before the designers themselves recognized it. The constant draped look that may either be consciously done or subconsciously referenced shows that the South Asian body shape is now influencing global red-carpet looks.
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