Trending Now - Met Gala 2026 Faces Backlash Over Bezos' Involvement

WHO:

The Guardian - Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos will be joining the 450 guests on the museum steps for the Met Gala.

NY Post - Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez hosted a pre-Met Gala party at their Manhattan home, attended by Nicole Kidman and Kendall Jenner.

The Guardian - Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York, will not attend the Met Gala, breaking a decades-long tradition of New York mayors attending the event.

US Magazine - Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos are involved with the Met Gala.

Drudge Report - A-list stars are reportedly snubbing the Met Gala.

WHAT:

The Guardian - The gala's dress code is titled "fashion is art," emphasizing the intertwined relationship between fashion and art, according to Andrew Bolton, the curator of the Met’s Costume Institute.

The Guardian - The exhibition will feature highlights including a contorted corset by Michaela Stark paired with Niki de Saint Phalle’s Nana and Serpent sculpture, and a late Roman Venus Pudica sculpture paired with a dress using strategically placed human hair by designer Dilara Findikoglu.

The Guardian - The Met Gala's theme, "Costume Art," will focus on 13 thematic body types, including pregnant, ageing, and disabled, with 200 sculptures and artworks paired with 200 garments and accessories.

The Guardian - The gala is expected to feature a contorted corset by Michaela Stark paired with Niki de Saint Phalle’s Nana and Serpent sculpture, and a late Roman Venus Pudica sculpture paired with a dress using strategically placed human hair by designer Dilara Findikoglu.

The Guardian - Protests against the Bezos's involvement have been organized by Everyone Hates Elon, a British activist group, which raised £15,000 in a week and is expected to be present on the night of the gala.

The Guardian - The Met Gala will feature a theme titled "Costume Art," focusing on body types that are marginalized in fashion, with 200 sculptures and artworks paired with 200 garments and accessories.

The Guardian - Tickets for the Met Gala cost about $100,000 (£73,500).

The Guardian - The event will be chaired by Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour.

The Guardian - The gala is expected to attract 450 guests.

BuzzFeed - A model and greeter who worked for the Met Gala in 2022 and 2023 stated they were informed they would not be participating in the upcoming event, which is scheduled for Monday, due to going viral the previous year. The individual quoted, "They let me know today that they cut me off. They fired me because I went viral last year."

US Magazine - Protests have occurred in New York City against Jeff Bezos' involvement with the Met Gala.

US Magazine - Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos were announced as the primary sponsors of the 2026 Met Gala.

WHERE:

US Magazine - Protests are taking place in New York City.

WHEN:

US Magazine - The 2026 Met Gala is scheduled for November 2025.

WHY:

The Guardian - A spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elon stated, “Don’t tell me Bezos has been involved because of his fashion sense?” in response to the protests against Bezos's involvement.

The Guardian - A spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elon stated, “I love celebrity culture and fashion as much as anyone, but [Bezos’s involvement] makes Vogue seem irrelevant.”

The Guardian - The involvement of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as the main source of funding for the exhibition and the party has sparked controversy and criticism regarding the influence of tech billionaires in the fashion industry.

US Magazine - The controversy surrounding Bezos' role is linked to his recent high-profile wedding and the perception of his influence in the fashion industry.

HOW:

The Guardian - The gala is described as one of the most-watched red carpet events, typically attracting 1 billion global video views on Vogue’s site alone.

The Guardian - The gala's theme, "Costume Art," will feature 200 sculptures and artworks paired with 200 garments and accessories, focusing on 13 thematic body types, including pregnant, ageing, and disabled.

The Guardian - The gala is described as one of the most-watched red carpet events, typically attracting 1 billion global video views on Vogue’s site alone.

US Magazine - The Met Gala organizers confirmed Bezos and his wife as sponsors.

(UPDATED May 4, 2026 13:19 UTC)

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are set to join 450 guests on the museum steps for the highly anticipated Met Gala, which features a dress code titled "fashion is art," highlighting the connection between fashion and art. The exhibition will showcase stunning pieces, including a contorted corset by Michaela Stark alongside Niki de Saint Phalle’s Nana and Serpent sculpture, as well as a late Roman Venus Pudica sculpture paired with a dress made from strategically placed human hair by designer Dilara Findikoglu. Amidst the excitement, a spokesperson for Everyone Hates Elon expressed skepticism about Bezos's involvement, questioning whether it was due to his fashion sense, while the gala remains one of the most-watched red carpet events, drawing around 1 billion global video views on Vogue’s site alone.

(UPDATED May 4, 2026 05:56 UTC)

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez recently hosted a pre-Met Gala party at their Manhattan home, where stars like Nicole Kidman and Kendall Jenner were in attendance. The upcoming Met Gala will embrace the theme "Costume Art," showcasing 13 thematic body types and featuring 200 sculptures and artworks alongside garments and accessories, including a striking contorted corset by Michaela Stark. Curator Andrew Bolton has highlighted that the dress code for the event, titled "fashion is art," underscores the deep connection between fashion and artistic expression.

(UPDATED May 4, 2026 01:26 UTC)

In a significant break from tradition, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani will not attend the Met Gala, marking the first time in decades that a mayor has skipped this high-profile event. Meanwhile, protests against Jeff Bezos's involvement in the gala have been organized by the British activist group Everyone Hates Elon, which has raised £15,000 in just one week and plans to be present on the night of the event. This year's gala, themed "Costume Art," will showcase 200 sculptures and artworks alongside 200 garments and accessories, highlighting 13 thematic body types, including pregnant, aging, and disabled.

(UPDATED May 3, 2026 19:15 UTC)

The upcoming Met Gala will showcase a theme titled "Costume Art," highlighting marginalized body types in fashion, and will feature 200 sculptures and artworks alongside 200 garments and accessories. Chaired by Beyoncé, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman, and Anna Wintour, the event is set to draw around 450 guests, with tickets priced at approximately $100,000. Controversy surrounds the gala due to the involvement of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as primary funders, raising questions about the influence of tech billionaires in the fashion world, despite the event's immense popularity, which typically garners about 1 billion global video views on Vogue’s site.

(UPDATED May 3, 2026 17:11 UTC)

A model and greeter who worked at the Met Gala in 2022 and 2023 has announced they will not be participating in the upcoming event scheduled for Monday. The individual shared, "They let me know today that they cut me off. They fired me because I went viral last year."

(UPDATED May 3, 2026 15:11 UTC)

Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, have been announced as the primary sponsors of the 2026 Met Gala, which is scheduled for November 2025. However, their involvement has sparked protests in New York City, with A-list stars reportedly snubbing the event amid the controversy surrounding Bezos' influence in the fashion industry following his recent high-profile wedding. The Met Gala organizers have confirmed their sponsorship, highlighting the ongoing tension surrounding this year's event.