Sabrina Carpenter honors Audrey Hepburn’s 1954 classic with film-strip gown at Met Gala 2026
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: At the 2026 Met Gala, singer Sabrina Carpenter delivered one of the evening’s most striking fashion moments, appearing in a look crafted entirely from intricately woven film strips that lent it a distinct Old Hollywood glamour.
The miniature film strips served as a tribute to late actress Audrey Hepburn and her co-stars from the 1954 film 'Sabrina,' thoughtfully weaving cinematic history into the design. The look further aligned with the gala’s overarching theme, which examined fashion as a form of art.
Sabrina Carpenter’s film-strip dress inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s ‘Sabrina’
At the event, Carpenter wore a gown constructed from strips of vintage film, with miniature frames featuring Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and William Holden intricately embedded throughout, lending the look a distinctive Old Hollywood glitz and glamour.
The dress was created by designer Jonathan Anderson for Dior and was paired with towering heels and a decorative headpiece that adorned her curled bob. Carpenter has consistently leaned into this aesthetic, most notably with her headlining set at Coachella, where she drew heavily on the iconography of vintage Hollywood.
She also coined the term “Sabrinawood” to define her evolving persona and has been on a notable run in recent days. Just three days prior, she teamed up with singer Madonna for their first collaboration, 'Bring Your Love,' the lead single from the Queen of Pop’s forthcoming album 'Confessions II.'
The duo had previously debuted the track during Coachella, where they also performed 'Vogue' and 'Like a Prayer' together. Carpenter has also maintained a steady momentum, having recently concluded her Short n’ Sweet Tour in late November and delivered her second performance at the Grammy Awards in February.
She also appeared on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter’s 2026 Power Stylists issue. The 2026 Met Gala adopted the dress code “Fashion Is Art,” aligning with the accompanying exhibition, 'Costume Art,' curated by Andrew Bolton.
According to official descriptions, the showcase promised to “explore the relationship between clothing and the body beneath.” Beyonce, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour served as co-chairs of the 2026 Met Gala , while Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos were named honorary chairs.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Met Gala evolution through bold style choices
Carpenter is no stranger to fashion’s biggest night of the year. She made her debut in 2022, embracing the “Gilded Glamour and White Tie” dress code in a gold Paco Rabanne ab-baring metallic two-piece set, featuring a glittering bikini top and high-waist skirt for the exhibition 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion.'
Across her four Met Gala appearances, Carpenter has avoided settling into a single signature style, instead maintaining an element of unpredictability that keeps audiences anticipating her next look. “My look for every year has been totally different,” she told Vogue ahead of last year’s event.
In 2024, she adopted a more restrained approach, opting for a black mermaid gown by Oscar de la Renta that flowed into a cloud of blue. The following year, she fully embraced the “Tailored for You” dress code with a pinstripe bodysuit by Louis Vuitton, a silhouette reminiscent of Lisa’s Louis Vuitton blazer paired with sheer tights.
Her most recent appearance at the ball came in 2025, when she wore a custom Louis Vuitton ensemble designed by Pharrell Williams, a pantless, blazer-inspired bodysuit complete with a dramatic train. The look aligned with both the “Tailored for You” dress code and the 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' exhibit.
Reflecting on the broader significance of the exhibition, Bolton noted, “It will be transformative for our department, but I also think it's going to be transformative to fashion more generally — the fact that an art museum like The Met is actually giving a central location to fashion."
