The Met Gala, taking place this Monday evening, is known as the biggest night of the fashion world, but this year it won't be just an ordinary event under the theme "Fashion as Art." The gala, chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Vogue editor Anna Wintour, will be led by a broad committee including Anthony Vaccarello from Saint Laurent, Doja Cat, Elizabeth Debicki, Teyana Taylor, Lena Dunham, and Zoë Kravitz. However, the real surprise this year is that billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos will serve as vice chairs, with Amazon as the main sponsor. This has sparked accusations of "buying into culture" on social media.

The biggest point of contention is whether attendees will choose to stay away from the event. Activist groups, reportedly occupying New York for a month with the campaign "Boycott the Bezos Met Ball," suggest that participating celebrities could be added to the "Bezos list." This pressure seems to have particularly affected names like Zendaya; the actress, who has attended the Met Gala for seven consecutive years, will not be participating this year. It remains unclear whether Zendaya is making a political boycott or simply avoiding overexposure due to four film releases in 2026.

The absence of Meryl Streep's name from the list is quite striking. Streep has been invited to serve as a vice chair in previous years but declined. According to rumors that she has been invited again this year, Streep, who has a close friendship with Anna Wintour, may have rejected the offer due to Bezos' participation. This claim seems plausible as Streep has never shied away from expressing her political stance.

The other dramas on the red carpet are lighter topics. Emily Blunt will attend, but her husband John Krasinski will miss the event. Blunt is expected to sit next to Tom Ford, who rarely appears in public, and she will wear one of Ford's never-produced runway samples. On the other hand, Anne Hathaway will be dressed by Prada, Nicole Kidman by Chanel, and Zoë Kravitz by Saint Laurent. Due to Vaccarello's role as vice chair, a record number of Saint Laurent outfits are expected to be seen at this year's gala.

Under the theme "Fashion as Art," references to art history are also eagerly anticipated. Many interpretations are possible, from Elsa Schiaparelli's surrealist designs to YSL dresses inspired by Mondrian, and the Versace/Warhol collaboration. Billionaires from the tech world are also expected to attend, not in jeans and hoodies, but in designs chosen for them by Anna Wintour. Although they may dominate the tech world, Anna Wintour's supremacy in the fashion world remains unshaken.