Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, are sponsoring this year’s Met Gala — and people are not thrilled.
Traditionally, the event has been backed by major fashion houses, including last year’s event, which Louis Vuitton sponsored. The announcement of Bezos’ partnership drew immediate backlash on social media. The Met’s official Instagram account revealed the sponsorship and this year’s theme on Monday.
“Celebrate fashion as an art form this spring at The Met! Opening May 10, 2026, ‘Costume Art’ is The Costume Institute’s annual exhibition,” the post reads, accompanied by a video featuring the Winged Victory of Samothrace statue and previewing the upcoming fashion showcase.
At the end of the clip, the couple’s names appeared. That’s when reactions took a turn.
“Bezos sponsored we really are at late stage capitalism,” one person wrote on Instagram. “Billionaires propping up other billionaires for their fancy party.”
Another commenter said, “Really shitty end when Jeff Bezos popped up.”
Users also shared a bevy of opinions on X.
“It was inevitable that Jeff Bezos & Lauren Sánchez Bezos, thirsty for cultural domination, would sink their claws into the Met Gala via sponsorship,” one user wrote. “Their entire media rollout has been leading to this exact moment. When THAT purchase announcement comes next…. don’t act shocked.”
The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and also serves as the opening of the Costume Institute’s yearly fashion exhibition.