Kim Kardashian arrived at the 2026 Met Gala not in fabric, but in armour — a custom, tangerine-coloured fibreglass breastplate that turned the “Costume Art” theme into a literal sculpture.
The avant-garde piece was a collaboration between Kardashian, her creative director Nadia Lee Cohen, and British pop artist Allen Jones, brought to life by design duo Whitaker Malem. The hard‑shelled, metallic orange‑bronze bodysuit featured sculptural pointed nipple accents and was repurposed from an original cast Jones created in 1967‑1968 — Kardashian insisted on using the vintage cast rather than one moulded from her own body.
The breastplate, finished at an auto body shop, was paired with a hand‑painted leather skirt and a dramatic burnt-orange cape draped from her hips. Tousled blonde hair by Chris Appleton and tan Christian Louboutin heels completed the look. Notably, she wore no visible jewellery, letting the “armour” command attention.
The ensemble paid homage to Jones’s classic orange aesthetic, previously seen on Kate Moss.
The appearance marked Kardashian’s 13th consecutive Met Gala, and she was joined on the red carpet by her mother, Kris Jenner.
