Dwayne Johnson Wears a Skirt to the Met Gala Because the ‘Most Masculine Men Wear Skirts’ in Polynesian Culture

Dwayne Johnson made a striking statement at the 2026 Met Gala, stepping onto the red carpet in a custom ensemble that reflected both high fashion and cultural pride.

The actor arrived hand-in-hand with his wife, Lauren Hashian, wearing a black mohair tailcoat, bow tie, and a matching pleated skirt designed by Thom Browne. The look featured more than 350 meters of hand-pleated silk ribbons arranged in what the designer described as a “skeletal composition.”

Speaking to reporters about the outfit, Johnson embraced the moment with confidence and cultural context. “I feel great!” Johnson said when asked by journalists about how it feels to wear a skirt. “First, [Thom Browne’s team] sent the illustrations over and [asked], ‘Hey, is Deej going to be cool with this pleated skirt?’ And I was like, ‘Look, in our culture, Polynesian culture, we rock lavalavas, we rock skirts.’ The most masculine men, not that I’m one of them, but the most masculine men wear lavalavas and skirts.”

The look was partly inspired by Polynesian traditions, where garments like lavalavas are commonly worn by men, reflecting heritage rather than gender norms.

Johnson has previously addressed ideas of masculinity. Earlier this year at CinemaCon, while promoting Disney’s live-action Moana, he said “real masculinity” for men of all ages means empowering the women in their lives.