The Wintour of Our Malcontents
The article reflects on the transformation of the New York Metropolitan Museum Gala from an exclusive, elegant event under Pat Buckley to a more populist and controversial spectacle under Anna Wintour's leadership. It criticizes Wintour for prioritizing celebrity culture over traditional sophistication and highlights growing activist backlash against corporate sponsors like Jeff Bezos. The author expresses nostalgia for the past while questioning the current direction and ethics surrounding the gala.
- ▪The Met Gala was once an elite event curated by Pat Buckley, known for its elegance and high society attendees.
- ▪Anna Wintour took over the gala and shifted its focus toward celebrity culture, featuring stars like Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
- ▪Activists have criticized the gala, particularly targeting Jeff Bezos and his wife as honorary chairs, accusing them of worker exploitation.
- ▪The gala serves as a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, now housed in the Condé Nast Galleries.
- ▪The author suggests that successful individuals like Bezos are often unfairly targeted by left-wing activists despite their contributions.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Takimag The Wintour of Our Malcontents Perhaps it’s time for the phonies to take action against their own. TakiMag (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images) Taki May 5, 2026 12:01 AM Loading the Elevenlabs Text to Speech AudioNative Player... It was great fun while it lasted. It certainly was elegant, exclusive, and attended by men who were gentlemen and women who were ladies. Society beauties like Cee Zee Guest, Babe Paley, Natalie Cushing and their ilk were regulars. It was run by Pat Buckley, William F.’s better half, and she kept the level exclusive and high. It celebrated artistry and beauty, and attendants paid for it with pleasure. I remember introducing the author Walter Isaacson to Cee Zee, and how impressed with her ethereal elegance and looks the writer was; he told me so.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The American Conservative.
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