Reports suggest Jeff Bezos has spent up to $20 million to play a prominent role at this year’s Met Gala, a move critics say should highlight America’s widening wealth gap, according to RadarOnline.com.
Amazon founder Bezos, 62, and his wife Lauren Sánchez, 56, served as honorary co-chairs for the 2026 fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York. They joined forces with Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and longtime organizer Anna Wintour.
The event, held on Monday, May 4, under the theme Costume Art, continues to be a major intersection of celebrity, philanthropy, and influence in the fashion world.
Former Vogue editor William Norwich criticized the current state of affairs before the event, stating, “The Bezoses are where the American dream is at right now for status, wealth, and style.” He observed their “conspicuous consumption” and noted that they have the “AWOK – the Anna Wintour OK.”
Insiders indicated Bezos’ financial contribution for the event was between $10 million and $20 million. A source close to the gala commented, “This feels less like patronage and more like purchasing cultural capital – the kind that once had to be earned over decades. In other words, Bezos has bribed his way in.”
The insider added, “He was hardly a fashion icon before now, was he? This level of cash-for-access should leave millions of Americans sickened, not just because of the huge amount of cash spent to get in on one event, but because the whole thing represents how America’s wealth is now in the hands of a very few.”
This criticism follows a period of increased visibility for Bezos and Sánchez, including their extravagant 2025 Venice wedding, which saw the attendance of stars like Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Sánchez’s appearance on a digital Vogue cover, reportedly styled by Dolce & Gabbana, was widely seen as a nod of approval from Wintour.
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former Vogue special events planner who managed the gala for more than a decade, expressed her disapproval of the couple’s participation in this year’s gala. “For me, it’s not just about the gala, it reflects a broader shift in the world we’re living in,” she remarked.
Wolkoff elaborated, “There was a time when access to spaces like the Met Gala, or even the pages of Vogue, wasn’t something you could simply obtain – it was something you grew into through your influence, your work, and your impact. It carried a sense of prestige that felt earned, not transactional.” She continued, “The gala has evolved. And, in many ways, it’s become something different. It used to be a true celebration of designers, their muses and the artistry behind fashion. Every person on that carpet felt intentional, like they were part of a larger narrative. That sense of purpose feels less defined now.”
The backlash has been intensified by notable absences from the event. Meryl Streep, who recently reprised her fashion editor role in The Devil Wears Prada 2, chose not to attend. Her representative mentioned, “It has never quite been her scene.” Actress Zendaya also decided to skip the gala, citing the need for a break following promotional tours for The Drama and Euphoria season three. Model Bella Hadid expressed her disapproval by interacting with online criticism, including a post suggesting that political expression might not be welcome at an event closely associated with Bezos.
An industry observer noted, “There is discomfort about what the gala represents now that Bezos has shown he can buy his way in.” Despite the unease, the guest list was filled with cultural icons, with organizers embracing the theme “fashion is art.”
