“The entire process felt divine...” Rita Melssen breaks down Madonna’s 2026 Met Gala look.
When it comes to Met Gala Monday, everyone has their list of people they’re excited to see, but nothing prepares you for the moment Madonna takes the stairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
This year, with the theme ‘Fashion is Art’, Madonna arrived in Saint Laurent on the arm of Anthony Vaccarello, surrounded by seven ‘angels’. Styled by M’s longtime collaborator Rita Melssen, the look brought ‘The Temptation of Saint Anthony’ to life.
We caught up with Rita to get the full rundown on the making of the look, the inspiration behind it, and what it’s like collaborating with the Queen of Pop.
Can you tell us in detail about the process, from start to finish, of Madonna’s 2026 Met look?
RM: “The entire process felt kind of divine and fell into place naturally. The theme centered around fashion, art, and costume, all worlds Madonna has shaped throughout her career, so it felt important to create something that reflected her spirit and journey. M and I were constantly speaking throughout the process while I explored the Met and different artistic references. She asked me to focus on surrealism and we landed on Leonora Carrington, so I started sending her images of paintings and sculptures.
Then we came across The Temptation of Saint Anthony and I said, “Imagine recreating this painting on the Met carpet.” We instantly became attached to the woman with the ship on her head, blowing the horn and surrounded by angels. It also felt meant to be that the painting was titled The Temptation of Saint Anthony while she was attending with Anthony Vaccarello. We shared the reference with Anthony, who completely understood the symbolism and transformed it into this mystical Saint Laurent dream.”
Why did you choose The Temptation of St. Anthony as your main reference?
RM: “What drew us to The Temptation of Saint Anthony was the symbolism of this woman standing in the middle of chaos and temptation, while still being guided and protected by angels. It felt deeply connected to M and her journey as a woman, mother, and artist. There was something powerful about her remaining centered while everything around her felt surreal and overwhelming.
Every detail in the painting felt meaningful. The angels represented protection and guidance through chaos and distraction. The ship on her head symbolized the journey of the soul through both the conscious and subconscious mind. The horn felt represented the healing power of sound, music, and having a message to share with the world.”
Why did you choose to use the Philip Treacy / Isabella Blow hat?
The hat honestly chose us. I reached out to Philip Treacy asking if it would be possible to custom make a ship hat for the Met, even though we were less than a week away. He explained there wasn’t enough time, but mentioned they had Isabella Blow’s original ship hat, the one that Philip placed on her casket at her funeral, in the archive and was willing to bring it for Madonna to try.
I gave Philip black pearls and antique diamond brooches and jewels from Neil Lane, and he worked his magic. Normally, rule number one for a fitting is to always bring options, especially for the Met, but this time I brought only one hat. The moment she put it on, the entire room felt the power and presence of it. As Philip said, “Isabella is going to the Met on Madonna’s head.”
And the jewelry?
RM: “Out of all the diamonds and jewelry we had access to, the falcon crest necklace by the late Terry Castro was the most significant piece. His work carries deeply spiritual and metaphysical energy, almost more like talismans than jewelry.
The falcon symbolized vision, protection, and spiritual messages, which felt completely aligned with the story we were telling through the look. In the middle of all the glamour and opulence, this piece carried a deep meaning.
In the end, the look and the moment created on the carpet transcended fashion purely for beauty’s sake and became something more artistic, emotional, and divine. It felt less like dressing for the Met and more like bringing a living piece of art onto the carpet.”
What’s the collaborative process like between you Madonna?
RM: “We are extremely collaborative, she’s open to new ideas and transformation while always staying true to herself. We spend a lot of time talking, sharing images, films, music, art, and references while building a project. It’s a real meeting of the minds, and once we lock into an idea, my team and I bring it to life.
What makes working with her so inspiring is how much she pushes me creatively. She’s endlessly curious, fearless, and never interested in repeating herself, which constantly challenges me to explore new worlds, styles, and ways of thinking. She is unbelievably detail oriented and never settles for less, so every collaboration becomes this deep creative education for me. I learn something new from her every time we work together, and at the same time she gives me the freedom and trust to experiment, evolve, and take risks creatively.”