Stars lean into costume theme at Met Gala as Bezos sponsorship draws protests

NEW YORK: Celebrities arrived at the Met Gala on Monday in elaborate outfits tied closely to this year’s Costume Art theme, while protesters outside the event targeted billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos over his sponsorship of the fundraiser.

Among the notable attendees were Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny, supermodel Heidi Klum and singer Katy Perry, each appearing in looks that made them difficult to recognise at first glance. Bad Bunny appeared dressed as an elderly man, Klum wore a Statue of Liberty-inspired costume, and Perry concealed her face behind a silver mask.

Pop star Beyonce returned to the Met Gala for the first time in a decade and served as one of the event’s co-chairs. Actor Blake Lively also attended after settling a lawsuit earlier on Monday with her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni related to the filming of the 2024 romantic drama.

The Met Gala is the annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and is widely known for extravagant fashion and celebrity attendance. This year’s event also became a focal point for demonstrations after Bezos sponsored it for the first time. He and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, were named honorary chairs and made a donation that media outlets reported at $10 million. Their involvement prompted criticism centred on wealth inequality and workers’ rights, with some critics calling for a boycott.

Outside the venue, demonstrators displayed oversized letters spelling out TAX THE RICH and carried signs referring to what they described as the Resistance Red Carpet. One protester was detained while trying to enter the event.

Fashion as expression

Actor Sarah Paulson appeared in a grey tulle dress with long white gloves and a dollar bill covering her eyes. She said the look represented the 1%.

Tickets for the gala cost $100,000 each, although most celebrities attend as invited guests.

This year’s exhibition opens the Met’s nearly 12,000-square-foot, or 1,115 square metres, Conde M Nast Galleries. It includes nearly 400 objects from the museum’s collection and places garments alongside paintings, sculptures and other artworks.

Other standout appearances included social media personality Emma Chamberlain in a fitted dress with sleeves extending to the floor, and actor Gwendoline Christie in a feathered headpiece paired with a lifelike mask.

Madonna arrived wearing a ship on her head and was accompanied by an entourage that spread out the long grey train attached to her dress.

Male guests also moved beyond conventional formalwear. Canadian actor Hudson Williams, known for the viral ice hockey drama Heated Rivalry, wore a powder blue suit and makeup that he said drew inspiration from the Black Swan film.