Met Gala 2025: Tech Billionaires Buy Influence as Couture Becomes Content

The 2025 Met Gala, traditionally a fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has been dominated by tech billionaires, with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez serving as co-hosts after purchasing a table. Individual tickets cost $10,000, while a full table runs $350,000—a steep rise from $3,500 two decades ago. The event raised $31 million last year. Critics have dubbed it the 'Meta Gala' or 'Tech Gala,' as companies like OpenAI, Snapchat, and Meta also bought tables. Protesters gathered on New York streets. Amy Odell, author of an Anna Wintour biography, noted that tech firms seek acceptance from female audiences and positive PR. The dress code, 'Fashion is Art,' saw Sánchez wear a dark blue Elsa Schiaparelli gown with thin pearl straps, inspired by John Singer Sargent's 'Madame X' (1884). The outfit was seen as a self-victimizing gesture. Anna Wintour, who transformed the gala from a charity event into a global spectacle, now lends legitimacy to tech moguls. The event's relevance is questioned as creative talents may no longer seek a place at the table.