The 2026 edition of the Met Gala, the annual luxury and fashion extravaganza, chaired this year by billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos, unfolded on Sunday amidst protests against the opulence of the ultra-rich.
On this first Monday in May, the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) transformed into a spring garden to welcome the celebrities under a canopy of white wisteria.
Stars from the worlds of pop music, sports, ultra-rich personalities, and Hollywood elite struck poses to flaunt their flamboyant ensembles amid rows of photographers trying to capture those snapshots that ignite social media.
The event, held every first Monday in May, raises funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum. The next exhibition will explore the relationship between clothing and bodies, hence the theme of the 2026 Met Gala: “Fashion is art.”
Celebrities such as Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Doja Cat, Kim Kardashian, Madonna, and Cardi B appeared in eccentric outfits full of artistic references, some more obscure than others.
The institution raised tens of millions of dollars for the occasion, thanks in part to funding from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, its controversial honorary president. Jeff and his wife’s roles in the event have sparked outrage among activists denouncing the elitism and excessive luxury portrayed by the gala.
A few weeks earlier, a campaign calling for a boycott of the gala in New York was launched by the organization “Everyone hates Elon” (referring to billionaire and SpaceX founder Elon Musk), highlighting the connections between tech giants and former President Donald Trump.
Mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, announced that he would skip the gala this year to focus on affordability issues in the city.
Former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour emphasized that her “friend” Lauren Sanchez Bezos and her husband genuinely care about giving back to the community.
Highly anticipated for her first appearance in a decade, singer Beyoncé showcased a skeletal dress by French designer Olivier Rousteing on the red carpet. Meanwhile, Heidi Klum, known as the “queen of Halloween,” appeared as a hyper-realistic statue inspired by Italian sculptor Raffaele Monti.
Last year, the famous museum on 5th Avenue raised a record-breaking $31 million with a theme focusing on fashion across black diasporas in the United States.
[Context: The Met Gala is known for hosting some of the biggest stars in the entertainment industry and is a fundraising event for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.]
[Fact Check: The Met Gala is a highly publicized event that often sparks discussions about wealth, fashion, and societal issues.]
