NEED TO KNOW
- Romeo Beckham made his Met Gala debut wearing a custom Burberry suit inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe’s provocative photography
- The look featured leather peaked lapels, a matching black plongé leather shirt, tie and an embroidered scarf, per British Vogue
- Romeo has become a rising figure in fashion, walking runways for Balenciaga, Versace, Burberry and more in recent years
Romeo Beckham is stepping out for his first ever Met Gala.
On Monday, May 4, the former soccer player-turned-model, 23, stepped out at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City wearing a black grain-de-poudre wool suit from Burberry.
“It feels very considered and personal,” he told British Vogue as he posed for photos alongside model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Burberry Chief Creative Officer Daniel Lee.
The look is somewhat provocatively-inspired, as the leather peaked lapels, matching black plongé leather shirt, tie and embroidered scarf are a nod to photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who is known for his images of New York’s underground fetish and BDSM scene, according to Vogue.
“I always tend to go for double-breasted suits, so Daniel took a Burberry one from my own wardrobe as the starting point and reworked it into something custom, with leather detailing to make it feel modern and special,” he explained.
“[Mapplethorpe’s] imagery has had such a strong influence across both art and fashion – you can see that reflected here,” he added, sharing that the result was a “super-slick look, which I love.”
Jamie McCarthy/Getty
“My first Met is a special moment for me, so I’ll be taking it all in and appreciating every detail,” Romeo told British Vogue, noting that he has established a routine for himself when getting ready for high-profile events: “I’ll always have football highlights on while I’m getting ready, then switch over to music to set the tone for the evening.”
“I’ve always loved seeing how people interpret the dress codes – it’s incredible how varied and individual each look can be,” he said of the ball, adding that he’s drawn to “more understated looks that still feel powerful.”
Though Monday marked Romeo’s first ever Met Gala appearance, he’s become an established figure at multiple fashion events over the past year. According to Vogue, he made his catwalk debut at Balenciaga’s Spring-Summer 2025 show, and later appeared at shows including Versace Fall-Winter 2025 show in Milan, Willy Chavarria and Burberry’s Autumn-Winter 2026 runways and more.
Kristy Sparow/Getty
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour are co-chairing this year’s “Costume Art” themed-event, Vogue confirmed in December.
Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz are also co-chairing the 2026 Met Gala Host Committee, with members including Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Gwendoline Christie, Alex Consani, Misty Copeland, Elizabeth Debicki, Lena Dunham, Paloma Elsesser, LISA, Chloe Malle, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor, Lauren Wasser, Anna Weyant, A’ja Wilson and Yseult.
This year’s theme, “Costume Art,” curated by Andrew Bolton, explores the dynamic between clothing and the body beneath, with the show organized into a series of thematic body types, ranging from the naked body to the pregnant body and the aging body.
Catch all the minute-by-minute fashion updates from the 2026 Met Gala red carpet right here!
Romeo’s latest fashion moment comes amid a rumored rift in the Beckham family, stemming from allegations made by his older brother Brooklyn Beckham against their parents, David and Victoria Beckham, earlier this year.
In posts to Instagram Stories, Brooklyn detailed what he said is an ongoing issue with his parents, who he claimed were trying “endlessly to ruin” his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham, in the name of publicity.
Other accusations include claims that his parents tried to “bribe” him into “signing away the rights” to his name before his and Nicola’s April 2022 wedding and that Victoria “hijacked” the couple’s first wedding dance.
“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life,” Brooklyn wrote, in part.
During a recent profile for WSJ. Magazine, Victoria addressed the topic of alleged tension with her eldest son publicly for the first time.
“We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be,” she said at the time. “And you know, we’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children. And you know, that’s all I really want to say about it.”