Venus Williams Shimmers in Swarovski Couture With Symbolic Necklace Honoring Her Journey at the Met Gala 2026

Venus Williams wore a one-of-a-kind Swarovski couture gown at the 2026 Met Gala red carpet in New York City on Monday.

Williams’s outfit was designed by Giovanna Engelbert, Swarovski’s first global creative director. The black mesh crystal dress featured a form-fitting silhouette, with the plated silver and diamond statement necklace serving as a key fixture for the overall look.

With references to her family and heritage, along with her journey as a decorated athlete, the look merged sentimental and stylish elements together.

The ensemble was inspired by Robert Pruitt’s “Venus Williams” Double Portrait from 2022, a portrait of the tennis champion that was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. Williams’s look for the 2026 Met Gala was curated by stylist Ronald Burton III.

“There’s a lot of symbolism. My mom is here my dad is here; there’s symbolism from my culture [in] West Africa,” Williams explained of her necklace’s significance and symbolism, adding there was also a reference to the Watts Towers in California where she grew up.

Williams served as a cochair of the 2026 Met Gala alongside Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour — her first time in a cochair role at the event.

She is the third former WTA World No. 1 to cochair the gala in recent years, following her sister Serena Williams, who co-haired in 2019, and Naomi Osaka, who cochaired in 2021.

Williams made her Met Gala debut in 2008 in a bronze Carolina Herrera gown and has become a consistent red carpet presence at the event in recent years.

She attended in 2021 in a Prabal Gurung look, in 2022 in a Chloe suit by Gabriela Hearst, in 2024 in a custom Marc Jacobs gown, and in 2025 in a custom Lacoste look comprising a forest green polo, high-low skirt, and a fringed cape.

The 2026 Met Gala took place on Monday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This year’s exhibition, “Costume Art,” celebrated fashion as an art form, with a dress code of “Fashion Is Art.” The event featured Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos serving as honorary chairs. The annual benefit raises funds for the Met’s Costume Institute.