The annual Met Gala has always been synonymous with extravagant displays of wealth and fashion. From its inception in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the event has attracted New York's fashion elite in their most striking outfits. Over the decades, the guest list has become more international and showbiz-oriented, but the focus has remained on unique fashion choices, haute couture, and increasingly, priceless jewellery.
In 1996, Princess Diana made headlines worldwide when she attended the Met Gala in a simple Dior dress, accessorised with a sapphire and diamond cluster necklace gifted by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Rihanna, co-chair in 2018, wore a vintage Cartier crucifix from 1934, encrusted with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Three years later, she returned with a Bulgari High Jewellery necklace featuring 267 carats of natural diamonds.
This year, Indian billionaire Sudha Reddy stole the spotlight with a necklace valued at an incredible $15 million (£11,076,225). The centrepiece is a 550-carat tanzanite pendant from Tanzania's Merelani Hills. The one-of-a-kind outfit took over 3,459 hours to create, involving more than 90 artisans. Ms Reddy, a director at Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited and founder of the Sudha Reddy Foundation, attended her third Met Gala. In 2024, she stunned onlookers with her "Amore Eterno" necklace, valued at over $10 million.
This year's necklace features 25 diamond solitaires totalling over 180 carats, including one 25-carat and three 20-carat heart-shaped diamonds, connected by 21 additional round diamonds. Ms Reddy collaborated with designer Manish Malhotra and stylist Mariel Haenn. Haenn explained that the look was inspired by "the rich artistic and architectural heritage of Hyderabad, weaving ancient Indian craft traditions and embracing the true concept of Costume Art." She added, "By including techniques that date back over 3,000 years, they have created a breathtaking, multi-dimensional ensemble that speaks to both cultural legacy and contemporary grandeur."
However, the scale of wealth on display drew strong criticism, particularly due to the involvement of Jeff Bezos, who contributed around $10 million to the event. Anti-billionaire pressure group Everyone Hates Elon concealed approximately 300 bottles of fake urine throughout the Met before the event, highlighting complaints from Amazon employees about insufficient toilet breaks during shifts. Each bottle bore a photo of Bezos' face and the slogan: "Boycott the Bezos' Met Gala." In an Instagram post, the group stated, "Jeff Bezos's company Amazon is literally being sued for forcing workers to urinate in bottles. Amazon avoids MILLIONS in tax and Bezos is one of the world's richest men. The Met Museum is taking the P*** by having Jeff honoured as their Gala host. When they celebrate Trump's billionaires, let's ridicule them instead."
