Met Gala 2026: The best celebrity hair looks from the red carpet
Beyoncé and Zoe Kravitz were among the best-dressed stars.
Celebrities were out in force for the biggest night in the fashion calendar, the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s latest fashion exhibition, titled Costume Art.
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman and Venus Williams were the co-chairs for this year's gala, at which the dress code was ‘Fashion Is Art’.
“I think it worked very well as a theme because it was a bit over the top,” says Paul Edmonds. “There were some brilliant outfits, but also some that missed the mark.”
He highlights Vogue’s red carpet correspondent Emma Chamberlain in her Van Gogh-esque Mugler gown as one of the best-dressed. “She looked incredible, almost like an Erté drawing – he was a designer back in the 20s and 30s known for Art Deco illustrations.”
Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka in Robert Wu was another favourite who, Paul says, truly understood the assignment. “The white slashed coat gown with the red dress underneath and blood red feathers spurting out – amazing.”
As for the hair, two main celebrity trends emerged from the Met Gala. “There was some really slick hair that was pulled back very tightly into chignons, or you had a lot of hair down that was quite naturally textured or curly. Plus lots of tendrils or a slightly undone feel.”
Lucky for us, both of these looks are quite easy to achieve at home or with the help of a hairdresser at a Paul Edmonds London styling appointment. If you’ve got a big event or glamorous party coming up, why not take inspiration from the Met Gala?
Here, Paul talks us through his celebrity favourites from the Met Gala 2026 and explains how to recreate them at home or in the salon…
BEYONCÉ’S PERFECT CURLS
Returning to the Met Gala for the first time in 10 years, Beyoncé dazzled in a skeleton-inspired bejwelled gown by long-time collaborator Olivier Rousteing. Crowned with a matching headdress, the pop superstar’s honey blonde curls cascaded down her back.
“It's embracing her natural hair texture,” Paul says. “It was probably tonged to make it look like that, or the other way of doing it is using rags, the old-fashioned method of wrapping the hair around the hair a wrag and setting it. I'd use Davines curling mousse to give strong hold and then a shine product over the top to give it gloss and control.”
CARA DELEVINGNE’S SCULPTED KNOT
Model turned musician Cara Delevingne chose a sleek, sculpted chignon to complement her high-neck black velvet custom Ralph Lauren gown.
“Cara's hair was side-parted and taken back into a tight nape chignon so that it actually showed off the rest of the dress. None of it got in the way of the back view,” Paul says.
To create this look, start by blow drying the hair with Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse before parting the hair and pulling it into a low ponytail and wrapping the hair to conceal the band. “This wasn't just a bun. It was a nicely shaped knot. Once it's finished, you need a firm hold hair spray like Shu Uemura Kumo Hold.”
ZOE KRAVITZ’S BRAIDED UP-DO
Posing on the red carpet in a black lace Saint Laurent gown, actress Zoe Kravitz sported a half-up, half-down hairstyle with a romantic, almost windswept texture and a wispy fringe.
“I'm not usually a fan of a half-up look, but this was great, the way it was taken up quite high, and her whole hair was braided,” Paul says. “The braids were taken back into a knot just below the crown with tendrils left out so that it looked soft and natural.”
To create a simpler version of this look, start with your hair unbraided. “Take it back into a high ponytail, braid the ponytail, then twist it around itself and then leave the underneath down.”
Sam McKnight Cool Girl texture spray will “give a little bit of body and make the hair airy, then you need a little bit of wax for the tendrils just to give them a little bit of hold,” Paul says. But this look doesn’t require hair spray. “You want movement. If you make it too firm, it could end up looking like bad bridal hair.”
NICOLE KIDMAN’S SUPER-LONG STRANDS
In complete contrast with the headline-making bixie cut she debuted at last year’s Met Gala, Nicole Kidman had a choppy fringe and extra-long blonde tresses (possibly a wig or extensions) that flowed over her deep red sequinned custom Chanel gown.
“I liked the bangs because they're soft and there was a soft edge to the whole look,” Paul says. “It's not over-styled or all glossy. It's got a slight roughness to it, which I think works quite well.”
Less is more when it comes to styling this kind of low-key look. “I'd use a heat protection spray like Oribe Balm D'or to roughly blow dry it, then a bit of texture spray, and that would be it really.”
EMMA CHAMBERLAIN’S PUNKY BIXIE CUT
Taking over from Nicole Kidman as the poster girl for the bixie cut, Vogue red carpet correspondent Emma Chamberlain had her trademark bleach blonde locks styled in a messy, punky way.
“It is an amazing haircut,” Paul says. “It’s an icy blonde colour with a soft urchin finish.” If you’re thinking about trying this cut, take a photo of Emma to show your hairdresser so they know exactly what you mean. “This is a textured haircut that's been either razored or cut through. It's not a straightforward hairstyle, plus they've left some bits at the back which are quite long.”
To style a punky pixie or bixie, you need “a mousse or a gel to give it that texture, then a little bit of Kevin Murphy Easy.Rider styling creme. Without those products it would look quite soft and not so punky.”
PAUL ANTHONY KELLY’S MODERN POMPADOUR
Fresh from starring as John F Kennedy Jr in hit TV series Love Story, Paul Anthony Kelly donned a burgundy velvet Dior tailcoat for his red carpet appearance.
“I noticed a lot of the men at the Met Gala had slightly longer hair that was styled higher on top,” Paul said. “It’s like the retro pompadour look but lifted and with more movement.”
Kevin Murphy Rough.Rider styling clay is the key product for this look. “You apply a little bit when the hair’s wet, blow dry it in, add a little bit afterwards to hold it, then finish with just a top coating of hair spray to really hold it for the whole evening.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What were the Met Gala hair trends this year?
There were two main Met Gala red carpet hair trends in 2026: long, flowing hair or sleek and shiny up-do looks.
What were the best hair looks at the Met Gala?
According to Paul Edmonds, the best hair looks at the Met Gala were Beyoncé, Cara Delevingne, Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz, Emma Chamberlain and Anthony Paul Kelly.
What products are used for red carpet hair?
The main products used to style red carpet hair are mousse, texturising spray, wax and hair spray.
How do celebrities keep their hair perfect all night?
Celebrities have their hair styled by professional stylists, who use premium products and styling techniques to ensure their clients’ hair stays put all night.
Get the Met Gala look at Paul Edmonds London
This year’s art-themed Met Gala brought us two major red carpet hair trends, with some celebs opting for neat, sleek chignons and others sporting long, flowing locks.
If you’re got a special occasion coming up, why not indulge in a styling appointment at Paul Edmonds inspired by your favourite Met Gala hair moment?
Book a celeb-worthy blow-dry or hair-up appointment with one of the pros at Paul Edmonds London.