Melissa Rivers Says the ‘Nipple’ Was the Best Accessory at the 2026 Met Gala: ‘There Were Countless’ (Exclusive)

Melissa Rivers has officially declared the “nipple” as the top fashion accessory at the 2026 Met Gala.

“[The] best accessory is the nipple because there were countless. The nipple was the accessory,” Rivers, 58, declared exclusively to Us Weekly on Monday, May 4.

The “Melissa Rivers’ Group Text” host touched on whether the Kardashian-Jenner family fit in with the trend of naked dresses, after Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner all turned heads on the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (The 2026 Met Gala theme was “Costume Art” and guests were encouraged to follow a “Fashion Is Art” dress code.)

“What we’re trying to figure out on our end, which we have not had time to do a deep dive on yet, is we’re trying to figure out if Kendall and Kylie, if those were the actual skin things that they make with the nipple [on their outfits],” Rivers noted.

Speaking exclusively with Us, the longtime Fashion Police cohost said that each Kardashian-Jenner family member “understood” this year’s theme before singling out “Kylie in the Schiaparelli” as the best look. (The Custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown consisted of a nude top that blended into a white gown draping off Kylie’s body.)

“That is exactly what it was supposed to be about the art of dressing and the art of fashion and the body,” Rivers said of Kylie’s look. “It was spectacular.”

Rivers noted that Kendall “looked beyond in Zac Posen” as she ranked the whole family from best to worst.

“Kylie for top, then Kendall, Kris, Kim,” she told Us.

This year’s Met Gala red carpet was jam-packed with distinctive and, at times, shocking fashion choices from some of the world’s biggest stars, including Heidi Klum, who was virtually disguised as a Veiled Lady statue, and Bad Bunny, who looked completely unrecognizable in old-age makeup.

As for some of the night’s most prevalent trends, Rivers told Us, “Lots of mermaid hair, a lot of red, a lot of white. My overall feeling was it was very pretty. But we did have splashes of what you expect from the Met Gala, which is over-the-top.”

“I think the theme [of ‘Costume Art’] was hard in a way, because it leaned into all the pretty Grecian and draping but that’s why I think it came out pretty, but of course we had some standouts.”

Rivers singled out Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade on her list of the “best dressed” celebrities at the 2026 Met Gala, along with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and her daughter Blue Ivy Carter, Sabrina Carpenter and Anne Hathaway, among others.

Unfortunately, not every star impressed the fashion expert, with Katy Perry’s Stella McCartney gown and silver mirrored mask and Klum’s statuesque look facing particular criticism.

“The back of [Perry’s] train looked like it was burnt and she had been on the Blue Origin trip, so I’m glad to know the heat shield worked,” she said of Perry’s unusual mask.

Rivers will dive deep into more Met Gala looks on an upcoming episode of her “Melissa Rivers Group Text” podcast.