A-list celebrities and fashion elites prepare to attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute benefit, known as the Met Gala, on Monday. This year’s event shifts focus from exclusive guest lists and glamorous attire to its prominent lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez.
Industry Insiders Voice Strong Disapproval
A fashion industry insider described the couple’s prominent roles as deeply troubling. “It’s, quite frankly, very hurtful and very disturbing for [the Bezoses] to be the face of this year’s Met Gala, something that is really meaningful to a lot of people and to such a highly regarded and highly respected institution,” the insider stated. “It feels like a real slap in the face to a lot of people.”
Their involvement has triggered widespread backlash since the November announcement. Social media users have dubbed it the ‘Jeff Bezos Nazi Met Gala,’ while anti-billionaire activists have posted boycott calls across New York City subways and streets. Dissent also simmers internally among event planners, a key fundraiser for the museum’s fashion collection.
Meryl Streep Reportedly Declines Co-Chair Role
Rumors suggest Meryl Streep, who featured on the May 2026 Vogue cover with Anna Wintour to promote The Devil Wears Prada 2, was invited as a co-chair but withdrew due to the Bezoses’ sponsorship. Representatives for Streep did not respond to requests for comment.
Political and Economic Tensions Fuel Criticism
The fashion sector leans liberal, with Wintour historically supporting Democratic candidates and Vogue endorsing figures like Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. Past attendees have included predominantly liberal politicians. Critics highlight the Bezoses’ alignment with the Trump administration, including a $1 million inauguration contribution, amid policies targeting DEI initiatives, Roe v. Wade, voting rights, and immigration.
Bezos, worth $259 billion, faced added scrutiny after early 2026 layoffs at the Washington Post and Amazon, affecting over 16,300 employees. Their sponsorship appears as an effort to enter fashion’s elite circles, evident from recent Paris Couture Week appearances with Wintour and Dior’s Jonathan Anderson, plus a 2025 Vogue digital cover featuring Sánchez’s Dolce & Gabbana wedding dress.
Individual tickets cost $100,000, with tables at $350,000, amplifying perceptions of wealth display amid global conflicts and economic struggles.
Unusual Sponsorship and Wintour’s Influence
Amy Odell, author of Anna: The Biography, noted the rarity of individual lead sponsors over brands. “The Met Gala is not normally primarily sponsored by individual donors. It’s normally brands that take on that task to foot the bill. For the leading sponsors to be two individuals is unusual,” Odell said. She attributed the choice to a post-pandemic luxury brand slump affecting groups like Kering and LVMH.
The insider echoed this: “It’s much easier to wrap your head around a luxury brand that has been around for decades having the resources to sponsor an event like the Met Gala. But to reckon with the idea that two individuals can do it during a time like now, I think a lot of people question the ethics of that kind of wealth.”
Speculation ties changes to Wintour’s late 2025 shift from Vogue editorial director to focus on projects like the Met Gala, with Chloe Malle elevated to Head of Editorial Content. Odell emphasized Wintour’s enduring influence. Malle, who profiled Sánchez positively in Vogue, maintains a friendly rapport.
Hypocrisy Claims and Broader Context
Critics call the decision hypocritical, contrasting last year’s Black dandy theme with current sponsorship. “To have the 2025 Met Gala that was a celebration of the Black dandy, which was groundbreaking and historic to then, a year later, have the host be a couple who publicly supports an administration that is actively rolling back DEI initiatives and civil rights, is so disrespectful and distasteful,” the insider said. “It makes last year’s Met Gala seem extremely performative.”
Odell suggested Wintour prioritizes proximity to power. “The sociopolitical landscape is really different today. Billionaires are not well-liked. Income inequality is so stark and it’s become a very political issue,” she observed. Representatives for Vogue and the Bezoses did not comment.
