Hong Kong readies for a sustainable mixed-use development, the next Met Gala theme is all about embracing the human body, and the 2026 HD Awards are now accepting entries. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
The Met reveals 2026 Costume Institute show
Objects from the Abstract Body on display at the Met’s Costume Art press conference; photo courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, BFA.com/Matteo Prandoni
Costume Art has been announced by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as the theme of the 2026 Costume Institute show. Opening May 10th, the exhibition will explore the centrality of the dressed body through artwork and objects from the Met’s collection in dialogue with historical and contemporary garments sourced by the Costume Institute. A predominant focus on Western art from prehistory to the present will span the exhibit, which will be organized into a series of thematic body types that “reflect unique ubiquity and endurance through time and space.” The show will ultimately aim to highlight the bond between clothing and the body while also revealing artistic representation of the body by the garments that clothe them. On view through January 10th, 2027, the show will also inaugurate the new 12,000-square-foot galleries. The date that matters most, however, is May 4th—when fashion glitterati hits the carpet for the Met Gala. Mark your calendars!
It’s a Wicked world and we’re all just living in it
As we navigate the latest Wicked press cycle, the films’ Oscar-winning creative teams are back in conversation with the design community. In addition to a New York Magazine interview with costume designer Paul Tazewell (the first Black man to win the Academy Awards for costume design), English production designer Nathan Crowley recently spoke with Wallpaper about how the world of Oz came to life. Plenty of surprising details imbue the look of Wicked: For Good with new depth—did you know the yellow brick road represents the oppressive undertones of Munchkinland? Crowley also cites sources like the modernism on display at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 as inspiration for the design of Emerald City, which is architecturally distinguished through whimsical flourishes. Go see it for yourself in theaters this weekend—that is, if you managed to get a ticket.
The pasta apocalypse is here
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
In the latest news about fates worse than death, our favorite Italian-origin pastas are poised to disappear from U.S. supermarkets thanks to tariffs set forth by President Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal reports that import and antidumping duties totaling more than 107 percent on Italian pasta brands is a cost too high, and manufacturers will pull their goods from U.S. stores as soon as January 2026. The combined tariffs are among the highest faced by any product under scrutiny by the Trump administration. The Department of Commerce has imposed a 92 percent antidumping duty on pasta made in Italy by 13 companies importing the majority of pasta to the U.S.—and that’s on top of a 15 percent tariff on imports from the European Union.
A multibillion-dollar investment on Hong Kong’s waterfront
An exterior view of the theatre, which will boast seating for more than 1,100 guests, at Central Yards; rendering courtesy of Henderson Land
Henderson Land has revealed a first look at the approximately $8.1 billion masterplan for Central Yards, a sprawling development slated for a swath of Hong Kong’s iconic waterfront. Totaling nearly 12 acres, the sustainable mixed-use design stretches horizontally along the skyline, transforming the waterfront into a single sculptural volume. In addition to water features and promenades, the project will house more than 900,000 square feet of retail and 60,000 square feet of sundrenched terraces. A series of green zones, urban forests, and eco-gardens will further elevate the design. Under a robust creative team (including Lead8, AL_A, UNStudio, Peter Walker & Partners, and Speirs Major), Central Yards will begin phase 1 in 2027, followed by phase 2 in 2032.
Submissions are now open for the 2026 HD Awards
The penthouse suite at Rosewood São Paulo, winner in Suite category at the 2025 HD Awards; photo courtesy of Rosewood Hotels
Hospitality Design invites you to submit to the 22nd annual HD Awards! Submissions are now open across 32 project categories and 15 product categories, with eligibility ranging from December 1st, 2024 to February 2026. Recognizing the very best and most innovative achievements in design from around the world, HD will celebrate the 2026 winners and finalists May 5th at the Wynn Las Vegas during HD Expo + Conference. Entries will be accepted through February 9th. Submit and learn more.
