An anticipated public debut between Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian never materialised at the 2026 Met Gala on May 5, as the seven-time Formula 1 world champion opted out of the annual fashion event following a bruising weekend at the Miami Grand Prix.
Hamilton, 41, had qualified sixth at Miami before becoming caught up in first-lap chaos. After taking evasive action around a spinning Max Verstappen, the Ferrari driver sustained damage in a collision with Franco Colapinto, a setback that effectively compromised his entire race. He described the subsequent stint as “a long race in no man’s land” and labelled the weekend “tough” overall, citing the early damage as the primary reason he had limited opportunity to make progress through the field. Hamilton ultimately crossed the line seventh before being classified sixth, after teammate Charles Leclerc received a time penalty.
Fresh off that result, the British driver chose to prioritise recovery ahead of the next race rather than attend the New York event. Hamilton had co-chaired the 2025 edition of the Met Gala, making his absence from the 2026 instalment particularly notable given the widespread speculation in the weeks prior that he and Kardashian — long reported to be in a romantic relationship — might use the occasion for a coordinated red carpet appearance.
Kardashian, 45, walked the carpet without Hamilton, delivering one of the most discussed looks of the evening. The SKIMS founder wore a custom ensemble by Whitaker Malem, the London-based studio recognised for its sculpted leather work on productions including Wonder Woman. The centrepiece of the outfit was a glossy orange fibreglass breastplate, precisely moulded to her torso and repurposed from a 1960s cast originally created by British pop artist Allen Jones. The piece was paired with a brown leather skirt featuring dramatic high slits, while hand-painted leather details were added by Whitaker Malem to complete the construction.
As confirmed by Vanity Fair, the look drew directly from Jones’ signature body of work, which is characterised by erotic sculptures depicting female forms as functional objects. The orange fibreglass breastplate specifically referenced those sculptural pieces, combining pop art references, fetish aesthetics, and the concept of wearable sculpture into a single garment.
The ensemble aligned closely with the 2026 Met Gala’s theme, “Fashion Is Art,” which provided a framework for some of the evening’s more conceptually ambitious looks. Kardashian has previously used the event to stage headline-generating appearances, including her fully covered Balenciaga look in 2021 and the iconic Marilyn Monroe dress she wore in 2022.
Hamilton’s absence leaves the question of a public joint appearance with Kardashian unanswered for now. The Formula 1 season continues in the coming weeks, with the Ferrari driver likely to redirect his focus toward improving on a Miami result that yielded only a single championship point. Hamilton is currently in his first season with Ferrari following his high-profile departure from Mercedes, and the team has faced a complex start to the 2026 campaign.
