Olivia Wilde brought one of the night's most sculptural looks to the 2026 Met Gala.
On Monday, the Booksmart director wore a Thom Browne gown built around a structural cage at the back. Wilde seemed well aware of the logistical challenges the design presented. Prior to the event, she took to her Instagram Story on Monday, joking, "Mentally preparing for the Met by practicing not ever sitting down or having to pee," per E News.
The appearance marked another chapter in Wilde's long history of committing to the Met Gala's themes. She first attended the event nearly two decades ago, making her debut at the 2007 "Poiret: King of Fashion" exhibit in a black halter dress. In 2015, she leaned into the "China: Through The Looking Glass" theme with a pink Prada gown embellished with large gems, paired with bejeweled black gloves and a matching clutch. The following year, for the "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" celebration, she arrived in a black Michael Kors gown featuring a large metal collar and silver embellishments.
The 2026 cage construction continues that pattern of choosing pieces with a strong architectural point of view. Best known as the director of Booksmart, Wilde has consistently used the Met Gala carpet as a space to take risks, and Monday night's Thom Browne silhouette was no exception. The gown's rear cage structure gave the look an unmistakably theatrical quality that fit the Met Gala’s "Costume Art" theme.
