The Costume Institute Will Debut 25 Mannequins at the 2026 Met Gala in a Move to Embrace Body Positivity
The Costume Institute Will Debut 25 Mannequins at the 2026 Met Gala in a Move to Embrace Body Positivity
Michelle LeeTue, April 21, 2026 at 7:48 PM UTC
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The Costume Institute's new mannequin to be featured in "Costume Art"Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP -
The Costume Institute is breaking tradition with its upcoming 2026 Met Gala exhibit
It was revealed that The Metropolitan Museum of Art department will showcase 25 new mannequins inspired by real people and body types in the "Costume Art" exhibit
Andrew Bolton, curator in charge, said that the new figures represent a move toward body positivity in the fashion industry, where mannequins are usually made in a size 2
The Costume Institute is introducing something new to its most anticipated exhibit.
Multiple outlets have revealed that this year's Met Gala exhibit, "Costume Art," will feature 25 new mannequins modeled after a variety of body types, disrupting a world of fashion where size 2 display figures are the norm.
As reported by CBS News, the initiative not only embraces a movement around body diversity but is very much reflective of the new showcase, which examines the dressed body in art over centuries.
Andrew Bolton, curator in charge of the Costume Institute, said, the goal is "to challenge a history of museum mannequin display that's very much characterized by thin, abled and standardized bodies," while also representing "a diverse range of real bodies with real, lived experiences."
The Metropolitan Museum of ArtCredit: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty
The team zeroed in on realism by tapping nine models to create 18 of the mannequins, while the other seven were designed to represent different figures, including a pregnant body and a thin male body, but aren't based on real individuals. The entire exhibit will feature over 200 mannequins fitted with a polished steel surface akin to a mirror.
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Among those selected to model, per CBS News, were Sinéad Burke, a disability activist who was born with dwarfism; Aimee Mullins, an athlete and actress who wears prosthetic lower legs; and Aariana Rose Philip, a musician and model who uses a wheelchair, in addition to Michaela Stark, a couturier whose pieces will appear on three mannequins in the Reclaimed Body and Corpulent Body sections.
Burke has also been training guides and volunteers at the museum in a way that will help "make people feel seen, challenge people gently, and have a broader conversation about the connection between embodiment, fashion and art," as told to CBS News.
"Costume Art" opens to the public May 10, but the exhibit won't be the only home for these mannequins. All will be stored in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection and available for future reuse.
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The 2026 Met Gala co-chairsCredit: FilmMagic; Taylor Hill/Getty; Michael Loccisano/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty; TheStewartofNY/GC Images
The Met Gala will take place on May 4 and will be co-chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour. Fashion's biggest night will also see Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as primary donors. "Fashion is Art" is the theme and will dictate what stars will be wearing for their big moment on the famous steps.
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