Met Gala 2026: Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez took a time
Slate • • entertainment
Key Points:
- The 2026 Met Gala, traditionally a celebration of avant-garde fashion and artistic talent, faced criticism due to the prominent involvement of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as main funders and honorary chairs.
- Despite rumors of a boycott over the Bezos family's controversial reputation, most celebrities attended, showcasing wealth and status rather than artistic merit or taste.
- For the first time, tech industry figures, including executives from OpenAI, Instagram, Snapchat, and Mark Zuckerberg, were major sponsors and attendees, signaling a shift toward money and influence over creative excellence.
- The event's association with wealthy tech moguls and oligarchs like the Bezos family highlighted a growing disconnect between the Met Gala's artistic origins and its current status as a display of wealth and power.
- The author reflects on how money has become the primary unifying factor among Met Gala attendees, overshadowing talent and taste, and critiques the broader cultural trend of greed dominating arts, tech, and politics.
