All Eyes on Venus Williams as She Steps Out in Swarovski Couture at Met Gala 2026
Venus Williams co-chaired the 2026 Met Gala in a black sequin mermaid gown featuring a custom Swarovski couture silver filigree neckpiece with cascading crystal chains, styled by Ronald Burton III, with hair by JAWARA and makeup by Karina Milan. She was accompanied by her husband, Italian actor Andrea Preti. The post All Eyes on Venus Williams as She Steps Out in Swarovski Couture at Met Gala 2026 appeared first on BellaNaija - Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
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Venus Williams at the 2026 Met Gala wearing a floor-length black sequin mermaid gown with a Swarovski couture silver filigree neckpiece with cascading crystal chains, styled by Ronald Burton III, hair by JAWARA and makeup by Karina Milan. Photo Credit: Venus Williams/Instagram
Venus Williams did not come to the 2026 Met Gala to simply co-chair. She came to make a point.
The tennis icon arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a floor-length black mermaid gown, its sleeveless silhouette leaving her arms — those legendary, sculpted arms — completely unobstructed. The gown alone was a statement, but at her neckline sat something that elevated the entire look into a different conversation entirely. A Swarovski couture piece, a sweeping silver construction that cascaded in chains across her chest and shoulders, drew every eye the moment she stepped out. Swarovski described it as “a couture, wearable work of art,” created by Global Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert to honour Venus’s place in culture through “a study of creation, identity, and savoir-faire.” JAWARA styled her hair into a high braided updo that kept the focus exactly where the look needed it, Karina Milan handled the makeup, and Ronald Burton III brought the whole vision together.
Back view of Venus Williams at the 2026 Met Gala revealing the full Swarovski couture filigree collar with cascading crystal chains, corset back detailing on her black sequin gown, and her high braided updo styled by JAWARA. Photo Credit: Venus Williams/Instagram
Beside her, and every bit her match on the night, was her husband, Italian actor and producer Andrea Preti. He wore a black tuxedo with a deep burgundy bow tie, a matching pocket square, and a silver brooch at the lapel. The two married in Ischia, Italy, in September 2025, before legally tying the knot in Palm Beach in December of the same year, and last night marked one of their most significant public appearances as a couple. Serena Williams perhaps said it best when she told Vogue: “He is her biggest cheerleader. It’s rare to find someone who loves you wholeheartedly for who you are, not what you represent.”
Venus Williams and her husband Andrea Preti at the 2026 Met Gala, Venus wearing a black sequin mermaid gown with Swarovski crystal neckpiece styled by Ronald Burton III, and Andrea Preti in a classic black tuxedo with burgundy bow tie, matching pocket square and silver feather brooch. Photo Credit: Venus Williams/Instagram
That warmth was visible on those steps. And it made an already beautiful night feel even more complete.
Ahead of the evening, Venus told Vogue: “I love the theme. It’s a perfect fit for me. It’s even more important today because people feel so much pressure to look a certain way. Though there’s so much beauty in difference.” Standing on those steps in that gown, beside the man who cheers loudest for her, she was the living argument for her own words.
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The post All Eyes on Venus Williams as She Steps Out in Swarovski Couture at Met Gala 2026 appeared first on BellaNaija - Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
