Met Gala Exhibit Celebrates Diverse Body Shapes with New Mannequins

The upcoming 'Costume Art' show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art aims to challenge traditional museum display of standardized bodies.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 2:53pm

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An abstract close-up photograph featuring a high-contrast, glittering texture of sequins and plush velvet, conceptually representing the glamour and inclusivity of the 'Costume Art' exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.The upcoming 'Costume Art' exhibit at the Met Gala celebrates a diverse range of body shapes and lived experiences through its innovative mannequin displays.Brooklyn Today

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's upcoming 'Costume Art' exhibit will feature 25 new mannequins based on a diverse range of real bodies, including those of disabled, plus-size, and pregnant models. The goal is to challenge the history of museum displays that have typically featured thin, able-bodied mannequins. Along with more traditional mannequins, these new models will be part of the museum's permanent collection after the exhibit ends.

Why it matters

The exhibit comes at a crucial time when the fashion industry's commitment to body positivity appears to be waning, with fewer plus-size models featured on runways. By incorporating a range of body types, the Met aims to be more inclusive and representative of the diverse stories that can be told through the 'dressed body' in art.

The details

Curators recruited models like Sinéad Burke, Aimee Mullins, and Aariana Rose Philip to have their bodies scanned using photogrammetry. The scans were then used to create 18 new mannequins, with an additional 7 representing other body shapes. These mannequins will be displayed alongside more traditional fashion figures, and will join the museum's permanent collection after the exhibit ends.

  • The 'Costume Art' exhibit opens to the public on May 10, 2026.
  • The exhibit will run until January 2027.

The players

Michaela Stark

An artist and couture designer who had her body scanned to create three mannequins for the exhibit. Stark uses corsetry techniques to emphasize parts of the body that are traditionally hidden.

Sinéad Burke

An Irish disability activist who was born with dwarfism. Burke modeled for two mannequins, one in a Burberry trench coat and the other in a Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren dress.

Aimee Mullins

An athlete, actor, model, and activist who wears prosthetic lower legs. Mullins was also one of the models who had her body scanned for the exhibit.

Aariana Rose Philip

A musician and model who uses a wheelchair. Philip was another model whose body was scanned for the new mannequins.

Andrew Bolton

The curator of the 'Costume Art' exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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What they’re saying

“It was definitely a bit nerve-wracking. But something about being naked on a 40-degree day in a corset that isn't hiding anything kind of takes the awkwardness away from the situation, actually.”

— Michaela Stark, Artist and Couture Designer

“You stood in this cage of cameras. It's deeply uncomfortable and really vulnerable in the sense that you are in your skin and in very little else ... your body is photographed, observed, recorded from every angle, angles which you yourself may not even be familiar with.”

— Sinéad Burke, Disability Activist

“Andrew, my entire life, I've been looked down on, both literally and metaphorically. She was, he said, very humbled at the idea that people would now — literally — look up to her.”

— Sinéad Burke, Disability Activist

What’s next

The 'Costume Art' exhibit will open to the public on May 10, 2026 and run until January 2027. The new mannequins representing diverse body types will then join the museum's permanent collection for future use.

The takeaway

This exhibit represents an important step towards greater inclusivity and representation in the fashion and art worlds. By challenging the traditional standards of museum mannequin displays, the Met is making space for a more diverse range of body shapes and lived experiences to be celebrated and honored.