Observer | The Met Gala Is Entering Its Billionaire Era With Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez by Alexandra Tremayne-Pengelly AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. The Met Gala is increasingly defined by billionaire involvement, highlighted by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos serving as this year’s honorary chairs and lead sponsors—a move that has sparked criticism and protests over the growing influence of Silicon Valley wealth on fashion’s biggest night. While the gala, founded in 1948 as a modest fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute, has evolved from a social‑ite gathering to a global cultural spectacle under figures like Diana Vreeland and Anna Wintour, ticket prices now reach $100 000 and tables $350 000, attracting tech giants such as Amazon, OpenAI, Meta, and Snap. Observers note that the tech sector’s deepening presence, exemplified by past sponsorships from Apple, TikTok and attendees like Elon Musk and Tim Cook, reflects a shift toward fundraising by the ultra‑wealthy, prompting both accusations of “billionaire era” commercialization and arguments that such sponsorship simply revives the event’s original fundraising purpose. The backlash against the Bezos couple underscores broader concerns about wealth inequality, the cultural impact of AI, and whether the gala will continue to depend on tech money. Read more: https://observer.com/2026/05/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-bezos-met-gala/ #JeffBezos #LaurenSnchez #billionaires #LaurenSnchezBezos #NicoleKidman #VenusWilliams #AnnaWintour #DianaVreeland