Theo Wargo
Hudson Williams’ Met Gala 2026 makeup look is the talk of the town, for better and for worse. On Monday, May 4, the Heated Rivalry star made his Met Gala debut in an ab-baring custom Balenciaga look, complemented by bold Black Swan-inspired glam, and people have many thoughts about it.
In case you missed it, Hudson Williams‘ Black Swan-inspired look was centered on a duo-chrome eye look with two contrasting shades: an iridescent blue on his right eye and a matte dark red on his left. Both eyes were rounded off by dramatic winged eyeliner, smudged for a smoky effect on the red eye, and kept just a little sharper on the blue eye.
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Speaking to Vogue, Williams himself explained that the blue side represented the White Swan, while the red side represented the Black Swan. “We are trying to add a little bit of the mess to the Black Swan side, the sort of freedom, the chaos; and then on the blue side, we are trying to add this sort of austere, perfect qualities that the White Swan has.”
Williams and his long-time groomer, Aika Flores, who was in charge of the star’s glam for the night and also accompanied him to the after parties, undoubtedly took a big swing for the night with one of the boldest makeup looks of the night, but since then, many have since taken to social media to praise the vision but criticize the look’s execution.
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Flores herself took to social media to address the criticism, admitting the Met Gala was a “high-pressure, high-stakes” event for her and Williams. Flores said she welcomes people’s input but implied she draws the line at callousness.
“As an artist, I receive all feedback, positive & negative, with grace & gratitude; it’s all part of growth,” Flores wrote on Threads. “Taking a risk always comes at a cost, & I stand by that. There’s always room to evolve, no matter where I am in my career. But while everyone is entitled to an opinion, it’s important to remember there’s a human with feelings behind the work, building something with purpose, vision, & heart. It cost [sic] nothing to be kind.”
Flores followed up her post with her own reply, urging people to “please be kind to each other.”
Despite the criticism, the makeup look was also praised by many others, who left messages of support in the comments section under Flores’ Threads post. Not to mention, many are recreating Flores’ vision for Williams on social media.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
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