The 2026 Met Gala has been dubbed the 'Amazon Prime Gala' by fans after video of host Lauren Sanchez's 'mom dancing' was declared the final nail in the coffin for the event's credibility.
Controversy from the Start
Anna Wintour's annual fashion extravaganza was mired in controversy from the moment it was announced in November 2025 that Lauren and her Amazon founder husband Jeff Bezos would serve as lead sponsors and honorary chairs.
On Monday, Lauren opened the event, taking prime position beside former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna and co-chair Nicole Kidman as the blue carpet at Manhattan's Metropolitan Museum of Art was officially opened.
Fans React to Entertainment
Fans were left aghast, however, as the event, which costs upwards of $75,000 for a single ticket, opened with 'cruise ship-style' entertainment. Lauren, Anna, and Nicole were greeted with a performance from actor and singer Joshua Henry, who, along with a 12-person choir, belted out a rendition of 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' by Whitney Houston.
In video captured by the Daily Mail, a giddy Lauren was seen clearly enjoying the performance, dancing along to the music, but Met Gala fans were left shocked by the change of tone.
'It's giving Carnival Cruise lines,' decided one commentator, and another agreed, asking: 'Why did anyone think a cruise ship cover band was a good idea?!?'
'Looks like the cool kids need to start a new event. This one is donnnnne,' declared another commentator on Instagram.
'The farewell party for Anna Wintour's credibility' and 'This is the tackiest thing I've ever seen. Money can't buy you class' were other comments, whilst many said: 'It's giving welcome to the Amazon Prime Gala'.
Criticism of the Guest List and Fashion
The night didn't get much better, as devastated fans took to social media to blast the gala as the 'worst' one ever, slamming the 'cheap' outfits and sharing their outrage over the 'tacky' guest list. The event was noticeably missing many big names who had previously become Met Gala regulars, like Zendaya and Billie Eilish, and instead was attended by an array of social media stars, WAGs, models, and heiresses.
Plenty of the stars who did show up got it spectacularly wrong, turning the red carpet into a parade of sartorial disasters and outright fashion flops.
Some of the famous faces at this year's event included Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Sabrina Carpenter, Blake Lively, Zoe Kravitz, Hailey Bieber, Beyonce, Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, Heidi Klum, and Katy Perry. But it seemed there were more Z-list celebrities than there were A-list, as other attendees included Cristiano Ronaldo's model fiancée Georgina Rodríguez, influencer Grace Ann Nader (her older sister, Sports Illustrated model Brooks Nader, was absent), and Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng's heiress daughters, Grace and Chloe.
When it came to billionaires, there were plenty, including Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, billionaire Isha Ambani, George Soros' sons Alex Soros and Robert Soros, Walmart heir S. Robson Walton, and venture capitalist and author Amy Griffin.
Industry Insider Comments
A fashion industry insider told the Daily Mail ahead of the event that the Bezoses being a part of it 'felt like a real slap in the face to a lot of people.' '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 source said.
Amazon billionaire Bezos notably skipped the red carpet after allegedly paying $10 million to co-chair.
