Eileen Gu opened up about the mind-blowing amount of work and craftsmanship that went into her Met Gala dress, and it’s fair to say the final result spoke for itself.
Gu became one of the standout names of the Winter Olympics. Already known for a strong resume before the Games, the Chinese-American athlete has since made history as the most decorated Olympic freeskier ever — all at just 22.
Given how quickly her profile has skyrocketed, it felt inevitable that an invitation to the Met Gala would follow. At this year’s event, she joined a celebrity-packed guest list that included Beyoncé, Sarah Paulson, Margot Robbie, and Bad Bunny.
The 2026 Met Gala theme was Costume Art, and Gu’s look leaned fully into the concept.
She arrived in an Iris van Herpen bubble dress constructed from an astonishing 15,000 glass bubbles.
Speaking to ESPNW, Gu said the dress required 2,550 hours of work to complete.
“I have 15,000 glass bubbles on me,” she told the outlet. “But there’s technology under the dress that enables reality to kind of come together with the art.”
Gu went on: “It’s a play on surrealism. It’s a play on movement. It’s a play on nature and on fun and whimsy.”
Online reactions poured in almost immediately, with viewers praising the look’s originality and detail. “This is the coolest dress ever,” someone commented.
“This is so cool I thought it was ai,” echoed another.
A different person raved: “Saw this on the carpet and was instantly obsessed.”
Van Herpen also received plenty of credit for delivering a look many people felt matched the theme perfectly, with some saying she had ‘understood the brief’.
Elsewhere at the Met Gala, Lindsey Vonn made an appearance only weeks after suffering a serious injury during the Olympics.
The skier fractured her leg in several places during the women’s downhill event and later underwent multiple surgeries.
Despite the ordeal, she appeared to be in good spirits at the event, telling ESPNW she felt ‘good’.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to look or feel like myself,” she shared. “So this is a big night for me and, of course, I’m so thrilled to be here with Thom [Browne] and the amazing table that he has accumulated.”
She also spoke with Vogue before the event, describing the night as a personal milestone as she returned to public life.
Vonn said: “I’ve been in such a different world, especially since my crash. This is kind of my coming-out party—I get to be around people, wearing a dress that’s beautiful and feminine, and put my crutches down for the first time.”