Madonna captured attention with her striking appearance at the 2026 Met Gala, making a grand entrance on the red carpet.
Her ensemble included a witch-inspired dress, cascading raven locks, and a sheer lavender cape borne by seven attendants. This cape was a modern take on the 1945 oil painting The Temptation of St. Anthony, crafted by one of Madonna’s favored artists, the British-Mexican Surrealist Leonora Carrington.
The ensemble’s highlight was a commanding headpiece adorned with a skeletal ship, embellished with tulle and beads. This hat, previously owned by the renowned fashion editor Isabella Blow, was crafted by Philip Treacy, a celebrated milliner in the fashion world. Treacy considers it one of his most cherished creations. “Madonna wearing a ship hat to the Met ball is incredibly thrilling,” Treacy remarked in an exclusive video. He added, “I believe Isabella would be delighted. In spirit, Isabella is attending The Met on Madonna’s head.”
The ship hat is not just any accessory; it is an integral element of the Carrington artwork, alongside the French horn that Madonna, known as the Material Girl, carried as she ascended the Met Museum steps. According to her, the painting is a depiction of Anthony the Great, who is regarded as the patron saint of lost items, miracles, and travelers. “His story is fundamentally about the soul’s struggle,” Madonna explained, adding, “Leonora interpreted it as the struggle of women and feminine divinity.”
