Met Gala: 50 of the Biggest Stars Who Have Slayed on Fashion’s Biggest Night!

"Water" may have changed Tyla's life, but diamonds were her best friend at the 2026 Met Gala.

The South African singer wore a custom Valentino dress with a top consisting of diamond chains, strategically draped to form a plunging bodice that covered just enough of her, and a turquoise drop-waist skirt boasting a high slit up the middle. (See all the looks on the Met Gala steps.)

Accoutrements included a bejeweled silver belt, aqua heels and silver pendants dangling from her wrists.

Complementing the look, hairstylist Yusef Williams used Wavytalk products to do Tyla's hair, explaining that his overall inspiration was to do something "very ethereal like an art sculpture."

Meanwhile, the artist born Tyla Laura Seethal only made her Met Gala debut two years ago for the "Garden of Time"-coded event, but her sands-of-the-hourglass-inspired look from Balmain that looked as if it had been built—sand castle-style—around her body was an instant classic. 

Her shot bob hairdo at the time allowed her shoulders to glisten with sand-like makeup. And, to complete the timely effect, she held a functional hourglass as a "handbag" in addition to wearing a sleek gold necklace and John Hardy's yellow gold earrings and pavé rings.

Last year's look—a custom off-the-shoulder Jacquemus gown with a matching navy pinstripe coat—for the theme "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" was a lot easier to wear but still chic as hell.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old obviously has the elements down, calling the release of her song "Water" in 2024 an instant game-changer.

“That was insane,” she told E! News at Billboard’s Women in Music event April 29. “My life literally flipped on its head. It was a lot of adjusting, you know? Because where I’m from in South Africa is very different to everything over here, so that moment changed my whole life, honestly."

And now for three years' running, her Met Gala looks have been stopping the show. See all the walking art at the May 4 event: