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Although it may not seem like it, the Met Gala<\/a> is a notoriously private event. When we think of fashion\u2019s biggest night<\/a>, we usually think of the red carpet<\/a>, which takes over social media every first Monday in May thanks to the stream of celebrities<\/a> who bring their extravagant looks to the Met steps, interpreting the theme of the Costume Institute\u2019s coinciding exhibit. (This year, that theme was \u201cCostume Art,\u201d<\/a> and the dress code \u201cFashion Is Art.\u201d) However, once the carpet wraps, we don\u2019t know much about what actually occurs inside the event.<\/p>\n What we do know is that there\u2019s usually a dinner, and some special performances (this year that meant mini concerts from Stevie Nicks and Sabrina Carpenter)<\/a>. A select number of photographers get access to cute inside moments (including Andrew Tess, who shot some starry Polaroid images<\/a> exclusively for Harper\u2019s Bazaar<\/em>). But cell phone photography and social media use is strictly prohibited, so we rarely get shots from within the gala, save for those iconic bathroom selfies<\/a>.<\/p>\n Still, there are some stars who choose to bend the rules a bit and sneak some photos when they\u2019re at the black-tie event\u2014and we thank them for that. Take Alexa Chung<\/a>, who captured some artful film snaps of her fellow attendees, like the Heated Rivalry <\/em>boys<\/a>, Ayo Edebiri<\/a>, Lila Moss<\/a>, Charli XCX<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n Ahead, see all the secret photos that celebrities took from within the 2026 Met Gala (and pray that they don\u2019t get taken down when the annual chairperson catches wind of their existence).<\/p>\n
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