Sam Smith and Christian Cowan’s secret engagement revealed at 2026 Met Gala
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Singer Sam Smith and their boyfriend of more than three years, fashion designer Christian Cowan, are engaged, with the news coming to light during their joint appearance at the 2026 Met Gala.
The couple was overheard discussing their engagement at the Mark Hotel before walking the red carpet, Page Six reported. Their relationship, marked by public appearances and shared creative work, has now reached a significant milestone.
Engagement news breaks for Sam Smith and Christian Cowan at Met Gala
The couple attended the event together, where Cowan wore a black couture ensemble inspired by French artist and designer Erte, which he designed himself, coordinating it with Smith’s matching outfit. He accessorized the look with a large square yellow diamond ring on his finger, reported to be by Cartier.
According to a source, the "engagement was private," and the couple was described as “over the moon, and so in love!" Smith, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, later shared details about the duo’s outfits on Instagram.
Quoting Cowan, Smith captioned the carousel by writing, “I have always loved Erte. I love the way he brought costume art to the world through his visionary illustrations. The infamous 1920s opulence and craft. 255,000 individual crystals and beads. 2,000 hours of artisanal hand sewing."
He further said, "This look is a love letter to the king of fashion illustration, and to my love, Sam." The Grammy-winning singer and Cowan were first linked in December 2022 when they attended the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act at the White House by former President Joe Biden.
The RMA, which repealed the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), ensures federal recognition of marriages across diverse backgrounds, including interracial unions. The couple, who are both UK natives, have since been seen together in New York City, sharing affectionate moments, accompanying each other to tattoo appointments, and attending numerous runway shows.
The couple made their red carpet debut in coordinated attire at the 2024 Met Gala and returned together for the event the following year.
Sam Smith and Christian Cowan’s private relationship and creative partnership
However, the duo have not shared how they first met and largely keep their relationship off social media. Speaking with GQ UK in October 2022, Smith said that after previous public relationships, they prefer to maintain privacy in their romantic life.
The singer said, “Over the last few years, as I’ve become confident in my skin, I’ve got loads of wonderful romantic attention. It’s been incredible, I’ve decided that I will always keep that private now. I have had relationships where I’ve shared stuff online and talked about it here and there."
He continued, "And I just don’t want to do that. I think being loved by someone is such a gift – for yourself. And I think my job can get in the way of that – the purity of that love – sometimes.”
Smith has also shown consistent support for Cowan’s career as a fashion designer. The singer attended Cowan’s first show on Valentine’s Day in 2023 during New York Fashion Week, sitting in the front row while wearing one of his designs, a silver sequin coat layered over a red jumpsuit.
In September 2023, Smith delivered a runway performance of ‘Dead or Alive’s ‘You Spin Me Round’ during Cowan’s Paris Fashion Week show, which served as a tribute to the band’s late lead singer Pete Burns.
“Ultimately, I’d like to capture the punk, British, glamorous and experimental nature of Burns within this collection. To bolster this, there could be no greater choice than a performance by Sam Smith to evoke this spirit,” Cowan wrote on Instagram.
