Fashion’s Faustian pact: the high cost of Jeff Bezos’s Met Gala patronage
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are honorary chairs of the 2026 Met Gala, sparking controversy due to their role as primary funders of the event. Critics question the influence of tech billionaires on fashion and culture, with activist groups organizing boycotts and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipping the event. The gala's theme, 'fashion is art,' highlights marginalized body types through an exhibition pairing fashion with art, though the connection to attendees' outfits remains loosely interpreted.
- ▪Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are the honorary chairs and main funders of the 2026 Met Gala.
- ▪New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani broke tradition by not attending the gala in protest of the Bezos couple's involvement.
- ▪Activist group Everyone Hates Elon launched a campaign against the Bezos-funded Met Gala, criticizing its cultural implications.
- ▪The Met's 'Costume Art' exhibition features 200 garments paired with artworks, focusing on marginalized body types like pregnant, ageing, and disabled bodies.
- ▪Andrew Bolton, curator of the Costume Institute, emphasized the exhibition's goal of highlighting bodies underrepresented in fashion and Western art.
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Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez attend the 2024 Met Gala at Moma, New York. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty for the Met Museum/VogueView image in fullscreenJeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez attend the 2024 Met Gala at Moma, New York. Photograph: Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty for the Met Museum/VogueMet Gala 2026Fashion’s Faustian pact: the high cost of Jeff Bezos’s Met Gala patronageBillionaire’s role as honorary chair and main source of funding has led to boycotts and criticism event has lost its cachetMorwenna FerrierSun 3 May 2026 10.22 EDTLast modified on Sun 3 May 2026 10.34 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe Met Gala in New York is the grandest and ritziest event in the fashion calendar, and an indicator of the growing ties between designers, celebrity and power.
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