This year, New York’s renowned event faces challenges not related to attendance, glamour, or budget but due to criticism, negative publicity, and calls for a boycott.
The upcoming annual fashion show and fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, scheduled for May 4, will maintain its lavish essence. The theme for this year’s show, dubbed “Costume Art,” aims to showcase fashion as a continuous element throughout art history.
The chosen dress code, “Fashion is Art,” offers maximum flexibility for attendees on the red carpet. Curator Andrew Bolton expressed to The Associated Press that the theme intends to put an end to the outdated debate on whether fashion should be included in the art realm.
“We are shifting our perspective from the past. Now, we are exploring art through the prism of fashion,” said Bolton.
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Exploring Black Style: The 2025 Met Gala Makes a Bold Fashion Statement
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Stunning Red Carpet Looks from the 2025 Met Gala
The 2026 Met Gala, which raised over $31 million US last year and now boasts a new 1,115-square-meter venue, is not lacking in overall appeal. This year’s gala will inaugurate the Condé M. Nast Galleries, transformed from the museum’s former retail space.
Featuring inclusive elements, this year’s exhibit includes mannequins representing often overlooked figures in art history, showcasing diverse body types and abilities.
Among the co-chairs for this year’s gala are Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Beyoncé, with the latter making her first gala appearance in a decade. The event also includes a “host committee” led by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz, with notable personalities like Sabrina Carpenter, Teyana Taylor, Lena Dunham, Misty Copeland, Angela Bassett, and Aimee Mullins.
Amazon’s Involvement Sparks Controversy
However, the gala faced backlash due to the involvement of Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos as honorary chairs, serving as the primary funding source for this year’s event, a departure from relying on luxury brand sponsorships in the past.
Protests emerged in April, condemning the event as the “Bezos Met Gala,” linking it to worker exploitation and controversial partnerships. Activists from the group Everyone Hates Elon staged demonstrations, including posting anti-billionaire messages and distributing bottles with Bezos’ face, addressing Amazon’s alleged involvement in various contentious issues.
