At the 2026 Met Gala, Bad Bunny made a strong impression with an unusual and creative appearance. The 32 year old artist, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, chose to present himself in a way that looked very different from his usual style.
For the event, he appeared with facial prosthetics that made him look much older, around 50 years beyond his actual age. The transformation included detailed makeup work that added wrinkles, sunspots, and sagging skin across his face and neck. Even his hands were styled to match the aged appearance. The look was created by makeup artist Mike Marino, known for realistic character transformations.
To complete the effect, he wore a white wig along with matching eyebrows and facial hair. His outfit included a black suit paired with a large satin bow tie. He also carried a cane while posing for photographs, which added to the character he was presenting on the red carpet.
This appearance connected with the theme of the event, “Fashion Is Art.” His look reflected ideas from the Costume Institute’s exhibition, which explores different forms of the human body through art over the past 5,000 years. One of the key ideas in the exhibition is the “Aging Body,” and his outfit can be seen as a visual interpretation of that concept.
#badbunny is turning heads at The 2026 Met Gala with his look! 👀😉#metgala #2026metgala
— iHeartRadio Canada (@iHeartRadioCA) May 5, 2026
📸: Getty pic.twitter.com/sxdvkZlbuF
During an interview with Vogue, he explained his approach to the event. He said he “always [tries] to do something different” and enjoys “being creative.” He also mentioned that the makeup process “took a little bit,” but added that it was “worth it.”
This look was different from his previous appearances at the Met Gala. In 2025, he wore a brown suit with a traditional pava hat. In an earlier year, when he served as a co chair, he wore a navy suit by Maison Margiela with a large hat.
His 2026 appearance shows how he continues to experiment with fashion, using it as a way to explore ideas and present artistic concepts.