Met Gala followers vow to boycott as Vogue pronounces the 2026 theme… however fails to reveal main supporter
Met Gala guests have finally received word about the dress code for this year’s upcoming ball – but some fashion fans have already vowed to boycott the event over Jeff Bezos and wife Lauren Sanchez footing the bill.
This year’s dress code has been announced as ‘fashion is art’ which will serve as a more specific baseline for guests against the gala’s overall theme of ‘costume art.’
The star-studded guest list includes A-list members of the host committee, such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Misty Copeland, Lena Dunham, Angela Bassett, Sam Smith, and Chase Sui Wonders.
This year’s co-chairs are Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, Anthony Vaccarello, and Zoe Kravitz, who will help to host the gala.
The New York City museum will pair historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute for the exhibition, which will be loosely divided into three categories: the classical body and the nude body, aging bodies and pregnant bodies, and the anatomical body.
But as Vogue Magazine took to its Instagram page earlier today to share the much-anticipated dress code, many followers couldn’t help but point out one major omission.
This year’s lead sponsors of the gala – Amazon tycoon Bezos and wife Sanchez – were not named anywhere on the announcement, despite the post also listing the event’s co-chairs and host committee.
The couple has footed most of the bill for the May 4 event with Bezos himself worth an estimated $224.2 billion.
On Monday, Met Gala guests finally received word about the dress code for this year’s upcoming ball – but some fashion fans have already vowed to boycott the event over Jeff Bezos and wife Lauren Sanchez footing the bill
This year’s dress code is Fashion is Art, and it also marks the first year that Anna Wintour will attend in her new role as Vogue’s Global Creative Director and Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast
‘How come Bezos aren’t featured? They’re still funding it. Trying to avoid backlash again,’ one person wrote.
Another agreed, ‘And powered by Amazon.’
‘I thought it was top Amazon customer,’ someone else joked about the dress code.
Another person seconded, ‘Unfortunately, with the Bezos’ involvement I’ve lost interest.’
‘Fashion is art… but not political maybe? Since your owner is the Bezos, one of the most questionable billionaires?’ an Instagram user commented.
Someone wrote, ‘Fashion is art. But fashion is also political.’
Others criticized the theme for being too vague.
‘They’re getting vaguer each year for the celebrities to fit the theme easier,’ one person wrote.
Another chimed in, typing, ‘”Fashion is art” is such a broad theme.’
‘CRINGE,’ someone else wrote.
Fans were quick to slam the couple’s involvement on social media as well as to hit out at the theme itself
In November, Anna Wintour responded to criticism surrounding the couple’s role as sponsors in an interview with CNN, telling the outlet that Sanchez is a ‘great lover of costume and obviously of fashion.’
She said that she believes that Sanchez would be a ‘wonderful asset to the museum and the event.’
‘We’re very grateful for her incredible generosity,’ Wintour continued. ‘So we’re thrilled she’s part of the night.’
The decision came just months after Sanchez appeared on the cover of Vogue’s June 2025 digital issue, which was all about her lavish Venetian wedding to the Amazon tycoon.
The magazine spread showed behind-the-scenes photos of her wedding and dress fitting, which was designed for her by Dolce & Gabbana.
This year’s gala marks the first in Wintour’s new role as Vogue’s Global Creative Director and Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast, with Chloe Malle taking over as Head of Editorial Content for American Vogue.
Malle’s parents are actress Candice Bergen and French filmmaker Louis Malle.
This month, the two made headlines when they suffered an awkward moment while sitting down for a joint interview with The New York Times.
The couple has footed most of the bill for the May 4 event with Bezos himself worth an estimated $224.2 billion
This month, Wintour and Malle made headlines when they suffered an awkward moment while sitting down for a joint interview with The New York Times
In the extensive chat with the outlet, the pair talked about leading the magazine into its next era, their differing leadership styles, and even Malle’s ‘nepo baby’ criticism.
The seemingly tense moment came about as Times interviewer Jessica Testa asked Malle what she would do if Vogue had the same large budget that it once did in the 1990s.
‘I would build a whole new podcast studio, I would pay everyone 30 percent more, I would make sure the social team had more people on it, because they’re working all the time, I would have our app staffed more fully,’ Malle shared.
She added that Vogue has tons of ideas for shoots that would ‘help take people on adventures,’ and that a larger budget would ‘really help’ with that.
However, Wintour didn’t appear thrilled with that answer, as she appeared to give Malle a withering look from behind her large, signature sunglasses.
‘But to be clear, Jessica, we have a very healthy budget at Vogue, and how we use it and use our resources is constantly changing, depending on the moment,’ Wintour chimed in.
The moment has since gone viral on social media, with many viewers noticing the stark differences between the two editors.
During the interview, Testa also asked the two when the last time they felt ‘nervous’ was – and again, they had two starkly different responses.
Malle replied that she was nervous just 30 minutes before they sat down for the interview, while Wintour says that she ‘never’ gets nervous.
Since joining the magazine in 2011, Malle has co-hosted Vogue’s weekly fashion and culture podcast, strengthened its newsletters and expanded its wedding coverage, as well as launching viral hits such as Dogue, a tongue-in-cheek fashion magazine for dogs.
