6 French Personalities at the 2026 Met Gala French Elegance Reaches the Peak of Art in New York

For some, the Met Gala is an unmissable event—nearly a tradition. Last night, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York buzzed with the energy of the exhibition title and theme, "Fashion Is Art." Once again, the French delegation proved they have mastered the art of the red carpet with absolute brilliance.

After several years, this gala holds no secrets for Charlotte Gainsbourg, who climbed the museum steps for the seventh time last night. Dressed entirely in leather — a Saint Laurent signature — she sported a sharp, rock-inspired silhouette, accented with gold details like a crown-of-thorns belt.

The House of Saint Laurent was particularly in the spotlight for this 2026 edition, having significantly contributed to the "Fashion Is Art" exhibition (open until next January) alongside Jeff Bezos. Model Loli Bahia, the latest runway darling, also made a striking appearance in a sober, architectural black suit, a hallmark of the fashion house located on Rue Bellechasse.

Other figures for whom the Met Gala is becoming a tradition include influencer Léna Mahfouf (Léna Situations), attending for the third time. For this edition, she chose a creation by Burc Akyol. Her outfit featured a long, light blue skirt with daring side slits paired with a bronze hand-shaped bustier—a true wearable sculpture. The creator of the Canapé 6 places podcast delivered a flawless performance.

The same goes for Lily-Rose Depp, a gala regular, who remained loyal to the House of Chanel. She opted for a dreamlike grey-blue gown that required no fewer than 600 hours of labor and 2,000 stones and crystals to form delicate flowers, perfectly echoing the evening's theme.

Designer Simon Porte Jacquemus is no stranger to the Met Gala, having famously attended alongside Bad Bunny (whom he dressed) in 2023. This year, he returned with a very special guest: his grandmother, Liline, who became the first muse of his brand. It was a moment of pure emotion and family tenderness in an evening often defined by artifice and the "look-at-me" culture.

While the Met Gala is a habit for some, for others, like singer Yseult, it was a major first. After closing the 2024 Olympic Games at the Stade de France and becoming the most-streamed French artist internationally in 2025, Yseult reached a new milestone this year. To mark the occasion, she made a splash in a gown and bustier by Harris Reed, a designer known for dramatic and sculptural custom pieces, making a thunderous entrance into the inner circle of the fashion elite.

Beyond the sequins and the red carpet, the presence of these six French figures at the 2026 Met Gala highlights the evolution of French influence in Hollywood. While classic elegance remains a pillar, the arrival of profiles from the worlds of music and social media proves that French chic now knows how to break the rules and assert itself in global pop culture.