Connor Storrie Makes Met Gala Debut in Saint Laurent, Calls the Night a 'Beautiful Zoo'

Key facts

• Connor Storrie attended the 2026 Met Gala on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• He wore a black Saint Laurent Le Smoking tuxedo riff with a polka-dot halter top and pussy-bow train.
• Storrie signed an exclusive deal with Saint Laurent in January 2026.
• He made a surprise appearance on SNL on May 3 to introduce Olivia Rodrigo's performance.
• Storrie's stylist is James Yardley; creative director Anthony Vaccarello designed the look.
• The dress code for the 2026 Met Gala was 'Fashion is Art'.
• Storrie accessorized with a Tiffany & Co. brooch with a red center stone.

A Serene Arrival After a Whirlwind Year

Connor Storrie stepped onto the Met Gala red carpet on May 4 with the calm of a veteran, despite this being his first-ever appearance at the event. The 26-year-old 'Heated Rivalry' star, who landed in New York City on Saturday evening, had already made a surprise cameo on 'Saturday Night Live' the night before, introducing Olivia Rodrigo's new single 'Begged.' In an interview hours before the gala, Storrie described himself as 'really not nervous,' even as he prepared for the culmination of a six-month marathon of awards shows and press appearances that began with the Golden Globes and included the Winter Olympics and Paris Fashion Week. Storrie's ascent has been meteoric: it was only a year ago last week that he and costar Hudson Williams were officially announced as leads of the Crave series 'Heated Rivalry,' after both had been waiting tables in Los Angeles and Vancouver. Now, he was walking the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a custom Saint Laurent ensemble, a partnership that began with an exclusive deal signed in January.

The Look: A Polka-Dot Twist on Le Smoking

For his debut, Storrie wore a black Saint Laurent Le Smoking tuxedo reimagined with a dramatic black-and-white polka-dot halter top that cascaded into a flowing scarf down his back. The outfit was completed with black dress shoes and a Tiffany & Co. brooch featuring a red center stone, pinned at the neckline. Creative director Anthony Vaccarello, who had cheekily told GQ of signing Storrie, 'I know everyone is fighting over him. And if you fight, I take,' oversaw the design. Storrie's stylist, James Yardley, has worked closely with the actor throughout his red-carpet run. Yardley told Vanity Fair in January that Storrie 'has a hunger to learn' and 'knows what he likes,' describing their collaboration as building 'the image of a leading man' through each fitting. The result was a look that balanced subtlety and statement, with a focus on fit and accessories like watches and brooches.

From Waiting Tables to the Met Steps

Storrie's journey to the Met Gala began long before his breakout role. The Texas-born actor moved to Los Angeles years ago, working as a waiter while auditioning. His costar Hudson Williams similarly waited tables in Vancouver. Their casting in 'Heated Rivalry,' a hockey romance created by Jacob Tierney, catapulted both into the spotlight. The show's season-one finale aired on HBO in January, sparking a frenzy of attention that led to Storrie's Saint Laurent deal and a string of high-profile appearances. Reflecting on his newfound fame, Storrie told The Hollywood Reporter in January that fashion was 'never really on my mind before getting into this world.' He compared discovering designer clothes to driving a luxury car for the first time: 'Nice things are nice and it feels good and sexy to be in nice things.'

The Pre-Gala Routine: Diner Steak and Ice Water

In the hours before the gala, Storrie maintained his composure with a low-key routine. During a phone interview from his hotel room, he recounted a recent late-night diner visit in the Lower East Side, where he ordered a rib-eye steak with broccoli—eating one portion there and taking the same meal to go. 'I put it in my little hotel fridge and ate the steak cold the next day,' he said, adding that he chugged ice water to counter the sodium. 'I was trying really hard to drink a ton of water.' Storrie's ease extended to his expectations for the evening. 'I feel like people have explained to me a million times exactly what’s going to happen, and I’m like, I still don’t really know what that looks like,' he admitted. 'I think it’s going to be a beautiful zoo. It’s going to be some chaos, I can imagine.'

A Growing Love for New York and Its Culture

Storrie, who lives in Los Angeles, has developed a fondness for New York's walkability and social energy. 'You realize now that I have friends in New York, if I want to go meet up with someone, it’s like, Oh, cool. Get on the train for 15 minutes and be around people and fall into random conversations,' he said. He noted that the city's density fosters a more social culture, contrasting it with LA's car-dependent lifestyle. 'Cab drivers will come up and just start talking to me. It just feels like there’s a flow.' Despite the stereotype of New Yorkers being 'rough and ready to rumble,' Storrie found the opposite to be true. 'I feel like the social element of it makes that not true,' he said, praising the city's diners and late-night interactions.

What Comes Next: Navigating Fame and Fashion

As Storrie's star continues to rise, his partnership with Saint Laurent is expected to deepen. The label is the official exhibition-catalog sponsor of this year's Costume Institute show, and Storrie's attendance underscores his growing influence in fashion. His stylist, James Yardley, emphasized that their collaboration is built on mutual trust and a shared vision of 'subtle and clean and well-fitted' styling. 'It hasn’t been a mistake, but it also hasn’t been intentional,' Yardley said. 'We’ve built it through this collaboration of each fitting, just growing together outfit on outfit.' For now, Storrie is focused on enjoying the moment. 'In these rooms, I feel like I’m able to just be myself and flow and move and chat,' he said. 'I’m excited to see everyone’s looks in person because I’ve historically always seen photos at the Met Gala afterwards.'

The bottom line

• Connor Storrie made his Met Gala debut in a custom Saint Laurent ensemble, capping a six-month rise from waiter to red-carpet fixture.
• He signed an exclusive deal with Saint Laurent in January, with creative director Anthony Vaccarello personally overseeing his look.
• Storrie's stylist James Yardley has built a collaborative partnership focused on clean, well-fitted silhouettes and statement accessories.
• The actor remains grounded, describing the gala as a 'beautiful zoo' and maintaining a low-key pre-event routine.
• His breakout role in 'Heated Rivalry' and subsequent fashion partnerships signal a new chapter in his career as both an actor and style icon.