The 2026 Met Gala, a major fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, has become highly controversial due to the prominent role of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez as lead sponsors and honorary chairs. This decision has sparked a boycott campaign across New York City and widespread criticism on social media, with many users arguing against platforming Bezos and Sánchez in cultural institutions and questioning Amazon's labor policies.
Anna Wintour, long-time editor-in-chief of Vogue and co-chair of the Met Gala, has defended their involvement, describing Lauren Sánchez as a "great lover of costume and obviously of fashion" and expressing gratitude for her generosity. However, this defense has not quelled the backlash, which started online when the sponsorship was announced and has since manifested in guerrilla-style protest art in the subway and vocal protests outside the event on May 4. Even some celebrities were reportedly absent from the event, and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani refused to attend.
The Bezos couple's contribution to the Gala is estimated to be between $6 million and $10 million, a sum that has allowed them to legitimize their access to high culture. While the Met Gala annually raises millions for the Costume Institute—raking in $31 million last year according to The New York Times—critics suggest this pursuit of money, particularly from controversial figures, could undermine the event's philanthropic motives and mark a shift towards billionaire control of cultural institutions. The museum director, Max Hollein, has emphasized the institution's reliance on donor generosity, but the controversy highlights a growing tension between philanthropy and public perception.
