The 2026 Met Gala was in full swing! Celebrity, fashion, art, and money were on the docket during May 4’s fundraising event for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
Held on the first Monday of May every year, the Met Gala raises millions of dollars for the institute, which holds pieces spanning from the 15th century to the present day. This was especially the case last year, raising $31 million, according to The New York Times.
The 2026 Met Gala dress code focused on the beauty of the human form: “Fashion is Art.” Though reports built excitement for the guest lineup, a larger wave of criticism hit social and news media.
May 2 marked a pre-Met Gala party hosted by honorary co-chairs and lead financial sponsors Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos. Held in their New York City residence, publications snapped photos of some attendees heading to the Amazon founder’s home to celebrate.
Backgrid captured the likes of Lisa Rinna, Gayle King, Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace, Kendall Jenner, Nicole Kidman, and more on their way in and out of the party.
Users across social media platforms quickly piled on to attendees of the party. Some called the event and guests ‘cheap’ while others mourned the ‘exclusive’ nature of past Met Gala events.
Organizations based in New York City have gone far enough to show their disgust with The Met’s embrace of a billionaire. Activist group Everyone Hates Elon posted several acts of protest.
Outside of posters and projections, Everyone Hates Elon installed about 300 bottles of fake urine inside the museum. They also left empty bottles outside the Met Gala venue labeled as “VIP Toilets.” This referenced Amazon workers urinating in water bottles due to denied bathroom breaks.
Multiple lawsuits filed against Amazon show the company’s pitfalls in production. In the past few years, violations cited various reasons: OSHA violations, wrongful termination, work-related injuries, and on-site deaths.
The Met Gala still garners attention through public discourse. Many Gala regulars backed out this year, including Bella Hadid and Zendaya. Though speculation drives the reason they’re absent, many believe it’s because of Bezos’ involvement, though nothing is confirmed.
Press photos, discourse on the best dressed, and who attended are still flooding in all over the internet. Many highlight the moral issues of contributors to one of the largest fashion nights in the world.
Fashion, pop culture and entertainment fans are split on drawing the line when enjoying anything wealth-related and who reaps the benefits.
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