Artists shine at 2026 Met Gala despite Bezos protests

The 2026 Met Gala on 4 May raised a record $42m for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, surpassing last year's $31m. Honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos reportedly contributed at least $10m. Protests targeted Bezos with signs reading 'Tax the Rich' and fake urine bottles labeled 'Boycott the Bezos Met Gala' by a group called Everyone Hates Elon, referencing Amazon truck drivers' working conditions. Inside, artists offered standout interpretations of the 'fashion is art' dress code. Amy Sherald wore a Thom Browne look based on her painting Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance) (2013). Jordan Roth appeared in a Robert Wun grey outfit with a faceless figure, inspired by Jean-Léon Gérôme's Pygmalion and Galatea. Tschabalala Self, a co-chair, collaborated with Brandon Blackwood on a white-silk corseted gown evoking Degas's ballerina sculpture. The Costume Institute exhibition 'Costume Art' (10 May 2026 – 10 January 2027) debuts the Met's new 12,000-sq.-ft Condé M. Nast Galleries, pairing costume pieces with art from ancient Greek vases to Yayoi Kusama. Bezos, the fourth-richest person with a $280bn net worth, faced similar protests at his 2025 Venice wedding.