Round 3 - 2026 (Costume Art / Fashion is Art) - Match 14 of 32
Jon Batiste (ERL Artisanal), left
"Designed by Eli Russell Linnetz in collaboration with stylist Corey Stokes and the Barkley L. Hendricks Estate, the bespoke wardrobe reimagined the boundaries of the modern male silhouette while honoring one of the most significant voices in 20th-century American art. The cornerstone of Batiste’s Met Gala appearance was his red carpet ensemble, a direct nod to Hendricks’ seminal 1976 painting, Steve. Constructed entirely from deadstock pearlescent and glitter silk taffeta sourced from the 1970s, the regal outfit utilized an intentional all-white palette — a technique Hendricks favored to highlight the contrast and presence of his subjects’ skin tones. Linnetz stripped the design back to pure form, leaning heavily into sculptural draping, asymmetry, and exaggerated volume. The look was anchored by a voluminous, floor-length puffer coat with an extended train, referencing the dramatic capes found in Hendricks’ portraiture. ... “Barkley Hendricks uses the medium of visual arts to highlight the everyday, casual majesty of black people. It’s aligned with what I’m doing in the medium of classical music with Black Mozart. Solo piano is a musical form of portraiture. It also very aligned with Eli’s approach to reimagining the male silhouette. Grateful to ERL, Corey Stokes and Barkley Hendricks estate for helping to tell this story via three different mediums of art: fashion, visual arts and music,” the musician shared in a statement." (x)
vs. Jamie Singer Soros (Bach Mai), right
"This hippo, affectionately named William, is from [the Met Museum] collection of ancient Egyptian art and is considered the unofficial mascot of The Met. You may be asking yourself, why are you dressing like a hippo for the Met Gala? Good question! 1. This is one of my favorite works of art at The Met. 2. The hippo was considered the fiercest animal in ancient Egypt. This little statue was found in a tomb, and was meant to symbolize protection for the dead in the next phase of life. I love the idea [of] using the hippo to juxtapose both the strength and fragility of the human body. 3. I thought I’d have some fun in taking a figure that could be associated with the overly critical labeling of women’s bodies and reshape (literally!) the narrative." (x)
Whose outfit was better?
Jon Batiste
Jamie Singer Soros























