The 2026 Met Gala, themed 'Costume Art,' has become the most controversial in the event's history, drawing protests over the involvement of honorary co-chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos. The Amazon founder and his wife donated $10 million to the Costume Institute, sparking criticism amid soaring inequality and Bezos's declining popularity among New York's left-leaning fashion crowd.
Protests included projections of disgruntled Amazon worker interviews onto Bezos's Manhattan penthouse and the circulation of 300 containers of fake urine inside the museum, highlighting reports that Amazon drivers must work so relentlessly they resort to peeing in bottles. Former US Vogue editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson co-hosted a rival 'Ball Without Billionaires,' featuring Amazon workers on the catwalk, and boycotted the gala entirely.
The backlash extended to pop culture with the release of 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' whose plot involves a tech baron attempting to buy a fashion magazine for his girlfriend—echoing unsubstantiated rumours that Bezos wants to purchase Vogue for his wife. The film's villain, a Silicon Valley oligarch, reflects growing cultural unease with tech's infiltration of fashion.
Despite the controversy, the gala raised $42 million, with tickets priced at $100,000—up from $35,000 in 2022. The guest list has become increasingly tech-oriented, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Anna Wintour defended the Bezoses' patronage, calling Lauren Sánchez Bezos a 'force for joy,' but industry insiders question whether fashion's relationship with tech barons will endure.
