Anna Wintour has directly addressed the growing conversation around Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos’ involvement in the 2026 Met Gala.
Speaking to CNN, the longtime Met Gala co-chair praised Sánchez Bezos’ role in the upcoming event. “I think Lauren is going to be a wonderful asset to the museum and to the event,” Wintour said.
“[I’m] very grateful for her incredible generosity, and she’s a great lover of costume and obviously of fashion, so we’re thrilled she’s part of the night.”
Wintour stepped down earlier this year as editor-in-chief of Vogue after 37 years, though she remains Vogue’s Global Creative Director and Condé Nast’s Chief Content Officer. She will continue to have a hand in the gala’s oversight, while her successor, Chloe Malle, leads the event for the first time in 2026.
The inclusion of Bezos as a donor has stirred debate, particularly as the Met Gala has traditionally drawn financial support from major fashion houses.
His recent political visibility—including attending a White House state dinner with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, alongside Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook—has added fuel to the discussion.
Vogue confirmed that next year’s gala theme is “Costume Art,” aligning with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new exhibition, which opens May 10, 2026, and runs through January 10, 2027. Saint Laurent and Condé Nast will also contribute to the event.
Bezos and Sánchez Bezos, who first attended the gala together in 2024, began their relationship after collaborating on several projects. They publicly confirmed the relationship in early 2019.
The 2026 Met Gala is set for May 4, 2026.
