Eileen Gu’s appearance at the 2026 Met Gala has drawn attention for a dress that combined couture design with engineered movement, raising questions about how the look produced real floating bubbles.

The outfit featured both intricate craftsmanship and embedded technology.

The Olympic champion wore a custom design by Iris van Herpen, constructed with 15,000 hand-formed glass bubbles and requiring 2,550 hours to complete.

The dress aligned with the event’s “Costume Art” theme, blending artistic reference with experimental fashion techniques. As Gu stepped onto the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the layered glass elements created a shifting, reflective surface.

“I’m literally wearing art. Today I am wearing Iras Van Herpen. This is so special. This look is all about bubbles, obviously. It’s a play on movement, on nature, and being fun and whimsy… There are 15,000 glass bubbles on me. They are made of glass which is incredible. 2,500 hours of work, insane!” Gu said during an interview.

The design’s defining feature was its ability to release actual bubbles.

According to details shared by the designer, hidden microprocessors within the garment coordinated the release of pressurised gas, enabling bubbles to form and float as Gu moved. The system operated autonomously through a calibrated digital interface, turning the dress into a functional art piece.

Van Herpen described the ‘Airo’ Dress as reflecting the atomic structure of the human body, with floating iridescent bubbles representing space and movement. The glass elements were individually bonded using UV light, ensuring both precision and durability.

Gu’s minimal accessories allowed the dress to remain the focal point, with the floating bubbles enhancing its visual impact.