Paige Bueckers Wears Coach For 2026 Met Gala
Coach today announces that basketball champion and Coach ambassador Paige Bueckers is wearing custom Coach by Creative Director Stuart Vevers to the 2026 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in honor of the museum’s Costume Institute exhibition, “Costume Art.”
Bueckers’ look reinterprets the 1940s-inspired tailoring from Coach’s Fall 2026 Collection through a ‘70s lens and features a three-piece black wool and satin tuxedo with broad peak lapels, a low-cut vest and flared, elongated trousers. Cut loosely for an easy, fluid drape, the tuxedo is adorned with hand-applied artist’s paints, carefully rendered to reproduce the dabs, smudges and splatters that might accrue on a drop cloth or painter’s smock. Working layer upon layer, a series of brushes and tools were used to capture the energy of the creative process, with special care taken to place pigments on the garment in the places an artist might naturally wipe their hands or absentmindedly stroke a brush. The painted elements of the tuxedo are heightened with embroidered beads, paillettes and Swarovski crystals, placed to highlight the brushstrokes and mimic the shine of wet paint. In a special personal detail, the number five is embroidered in purple thread on Bueckers’ right sleeve—a nod to her longtime jersey number, which she continues to wear for the Dallas Wings.
Bueckers also wears a ‘70s-inspired block heel loafer in Italian crafted cow leather, detailed with Coach’s sculpted C hardware, and carries a black satin Tabby 20, which has been painted and embroidered with the same treatment as the tuxedo.
In celebration of this year’s Met Gala theme, Bueckers’ look celebrates the joyful, expressive and often messy process of making art. Rather than represent a finished artwork, the look captures the creative process as reflected on the body, an accumulation of beautifully imperfect strokes and smudges with a sense of personality and history. Vevers and Bueckers collaborated closely to conceive a look that married the gala theme with Bueckers’ love of tailoring, and Coach enlisted a team of local New York City artisans and longtime collaborators with the brand to bring the concept to life. The resulting garment—immaculately cut and embellished with paint and embroidery, presents a striking contrast of technical refinement and artistic exuberance.
“I thought about the theme through the idea of making — especially making in New York, which feels very true to Coach. Fashion and art share that same instinct. It’s about the work behind the work: the craft, the process, the people who shape it. This was a chance to bring that forward,” said Coach Creative Director Stuart Vevers. “With Paige, it was instinctive from the beginning. It was collaborative throughout, and that gave us the confidence to keep it real — to make something honest, personal, and completely her."
“This is my first time at the Met Gala, and it’s such an honor to be invited, especially to be here with Stuart and the incredible team at Coach, who dressed me tonight,” said Bueckers. “They’ve been amazing collaborators and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate the process with my look; the artists, the team, and the courage it takes to bring a vision to life.”
FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS:
Met Gala Carpet Images - Getty Images
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Final Fitting Images
Photo Credit: Miles Diggs
ABOUT COACH
Coach is a global fashion house founded in New York in 1941. Inspired by the vision of Creative Director Stuart Vevers and the inclusive and courageous spirit of its hometown, the brand makes beautiful things, crafted to last—for you to be yourself in.
Coach is a Tapestry, Inc. brand. Tapestry is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker TPR.
Coach’s Partner: Penguin Random House
An international publishing powerhouse, Penguin Random House creates books for everyone and joins Coach in championing stories of courageous self-expression. As the exclusive U.S. publishing partner for “Explore Your Story,” Penguin Random House brings their publishing expertise to Coach’s history of craft with the creation of the book charm collection—featuring water-proof covers, a leather embossed spine, and the full, readable text to many well-loved titles. Penguin Random House was also pivotal in connecting the brand with participating authors.
CONTACT:
Brooke Hudson, Director, Global Brand Communications
bhudson@coach.com
Tessa O’Connell, Director, Global Public Relations
toconnell@coach.com
In the Philippines, COACH is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Rustan’s Shangri-La, Rustan’s Makati, Power Plant Mall, Greenbelt 5, City of Dreams, Rustan’s Cebu, Mall of Asia (Pop-up), and online at Trunc.ph and Rustans.com. Visit ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.
About SSI Group, Inc.:
The SSI Group is the Philippines’ largest specialty retailer, with an established brand portfolio that includes some of the world’s most recognized international brands. We lead the country’s specialty retail market through the size and breadth of our brand portfolio and store network, with 94 brands and 593 stores. With our growing e-commerce presence, we are also the Philippine specialty retailer with the most diverse and extensive e-commerce offering. Our unique brand portfolio covers a wide range of specialty and lifestyle concepts, spanning the luxury, casual, and fast fashion, beauty, footwear, home, and restaurant categories. Established in the 1980s, SSI has been at the forefront of the Philippine retail industry for more than 30 years. Throughout this time, we have sought to inspire and enhance the lifestyle values of our customers and to cater to the evolving tastes and aspirations of Filipino consumers. In response to the evolution of the retail industry, the company introduced "The Specialist," an At Home concierge service dedicated to serving its valued customers with their shopping needs. Customers may get in touch with SSI’s Customer Service team through any of the following channels to inquire about a particular brand or product:
SSI GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM
Email: customerservice@ssigroup.com.ph
Telephone Number: 8-830-5000
Mobile Number: (0917) 552 9359
Facebook: facebook.com/SSILifePH
Instagram: @ssilifeph
Viber Community: bit.ly/SSILifePH
#TheSpecialistBySSI