Anna Wintour Reacts to Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sánchez’s Met Gala Roles

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Anna Wintour is grateful to have a friend in Lauren Sánchez Bezos.

Following the announcement that Lauren and Jeff Bezos would be the main funders of the 2026 Met Gala – a move that drew some criticism online – the former editor-in-chief of Vogue offered her opinion.

Anna believes Lauren will be a valuable addition to both the museum and the upcoming gala. Speaking to CNN on November 23rd, Anna – who will be passing leadership of the 2026 Gala to Chloe Malle – expressed her gratitude for Lauren’s generosity and noted her passion for both costumes and fashion, making her a perfect fit for the event.

Jeff Bezos and his wife will be honored at next year’s Met Gala, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fundraising event. The Gala’s theme will be “Costume Art.” Saint Laurent and Condé Nast, publisher of Vogue, will be the main sponsors following Bezos and his wife.

The 2026 exhibit will celebrate the “Costume Art” collection, which will be the first to be displayed in the museum’s new 12,000-square-foot wing, the Condé M. Nast Galleries. The exhibit will showcase important artworks from the museum’s collection alongside both historical and contemporary clothing from the Costume Institute.

Curator Andrew Bolton believes this is a significant moment for design. He explained in a statement that having a museum like The Met dedicate a major exhibition space to fashion could fundamentally change the industry.

The emphasis throughout the exhibit will be on the dressed body. 

As I walked through the exhibit with the curator, Andrew, he pointed out something truly fascinating: clothing isn’t just about fashion, it is the story. It’s the common thread tying everything together! The initial spark for the whole show came from realizing that the way we present ourselves – what we wear, or even don’t wear – is always deeply connected to our culture and beliefs. He put it beautifully: even when we see a nude figure, it’s never truly ‘naked’ – it’s always conveying meaning and reflecting the values of the time.

As for how the theme might affect what celebrities wear to fashion’s biggest night?

The “Costume Art” exhibit explores how closely connected our bodies are to the clothes we wear. The curator explains the exhibit aims to refocus the conversation around art and fashion on the human body, celebrating it rather than ignoring it, and demonstrating how fashion can be a true art form.

Details about what to wear to the Met Gala on the first Monday of May haven’t been revealed yet, but there are still some interesting behind-the-scenes facts to discover if you keep reading.

Getting into fashion’s most exclusive annual event doesn’t come cheap. A single ticket will set you back $30,000, and if you want to bring a group and reserve a table, expect to pay $275,000.

Luckily, not everyone needs to buy a ticket to the Met Gala. Anna Wintour often invites promising new designers, and celebrities who are there to showcase a particular designer’s clothes are usually given complimentary tickets as well.

Despite the high cost, people are still eager to buy it – there’s currently a waiting list.

Cameron Silver, a vintage store owner and frequent attendee of the event, told Page Six in 2017 that he knows several people desperate to go. They’re fully prepared with outfits, even if they don’t have confirmed tickets, hoping a last-minute seat will open up.

The guest list changes each year. Around 500 people is considered ideal – a comfortable size. However, 800 attendees, the highest number ever, felt too crowded.

In 2017, Sylvana Ward Durrett of Vogue told Fast Company that they aim for a close, personal feel for attendees, and have significantly reduced the event size—by as much as 200 to 300 people—in recent years to achieve that.

Okay, so everyone thinks the Met Gala is all about over-the-top extravagance, but honestly, what the people putting it together really want is for it to feel… special. Like, a really exclusive club. Anna Wintour is always the first to start the guest list, and they’re hoping to keep it around 500 people max! I remember reading about it in The First Monday in May, and Ward Durrett actually said they want it to be intimate – that’s the whole reason people even want to be there, you know? It’s not about a huge crowd, it’s about being one of the lucky few.

Just getting invited doesn’t guarantee a celebrity can bring a guest; their partner needs a separate invitation too.

Planning for this major fashion event begins almost immediately after it’s over, usually starting the Tuesday after the first Monday in May. It’s a year-round effort involving around 100 people, including a dedicated team of 10 from Vogue magazine.

Ward Durrett, who was a director of special projects at Vogue at the time, said she relies on a simple to-do list. ‘It’s a list that grows as we get closer to the deadline, and we review it every day, even if some items are repeated,’ she explained.

Her first priority was the tent. From there, she detailed everything needed for it. Creating this kind of list helps her plan the entire event, ensuring no important detail is overlooked.

According to the late Andre Leon Talley, a former editor at Vogue, Anna Wintour pays extremely close attention to every single detail. In the documentary The First Monday in May, Talley explained that Wintour personally approves everything, including things like the tableware, lighting, and even the ushers’ outfits, often months in advance.

She likes to keep everything about her outfit a secret, right up until she arrives on the red carpet. According to Plum Sykes, a contributor to Vogue, Anna Wintour doesn’t want anyone to know what she’s planning until the very last moment, as she told The New York Post.

Planning the seating chart for the Met Gala is incredibly challenging – even more so than for a wedding! The team dedicates a lot of time to it, carefully placing guests together who they think will have something in common.

According to Ward Durrett in The First Monday in May, a surprising amount of effort goes into seating arrangements. They consider who sat together previously, at other events, and a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering is involved.

The seating plan for the event changes constantly as it’s finalized. Ward Durett shared with Vogue that she quickly learned Velcro was a much better choice than sticky notes to prevent mistakes. She explained they used to rely on simple stickies, which often fell off, leading to lost names and endless rewriting. “There have been many versions of the seating chart,” she said.

Ward Durrett also suggests using color-coding for seating arrangements, ideally alternating between women and men. A surprising but important rule is to avoid seating couples together. The goal of these events is to encourage mingling and learning about others’ work, so attendees shouldn’t spend the whole time with their partner. Sorry, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds!

Every event has those less-desirable tables – the ones stuck near the kitchen or bathrooms. The Met Gala is the same, and where designers are seated changes from year to year.

Anna Wintour closely oversees every detail, and is known for correcting her team, even on seemingly small things. For example, she famously scolded them for attempting to obscure the H&M display table in a scene from the documentary The First Monday in May, stating, “We shouldn’t hide this table, seriously, that’s not fair.”

While not a high-end designer, H&M—a company that advertises in magazines like Vogue—and other affordable brands like Topshop and Zara are increasingly being seen at major fashion events. H&M first appeared on the scene in 2015 and made a splash when Sarah Jessica Parker wore a dress designed specifically for her.

Big events like these always put former couples and rivals in the same room. We’ve seen it before – like when Selena Gomez, The Weeknd, and Bella Hadid all attended together. Organizers probably try to avoid awkward situations, such as seating Taylor Swift and Katy Perry near each other during their public disagreement. However, the success of the event as a whole is more important than avoiding every possible bit of tension between guests.

It’s impossible to make everyone happy, and we believe all our seats are good. Ultimately, you have to be confident you’ve done your best, even if not everyone agrees,” said Ward Durrett. “Luckily, we have a strong history of success. Problems are rare, and we always try to address concerns and better manage expectations for the following year.

In a striking moment from the documentary First Monday in May, Ward Durrett openly indicated to Anna Wintour which guests he hoped would cancel their attendance by attaching three Velcro tabs to the side of the seating chart.

Fashion critic Cathy Hawn wrote in The New York Times in 2006 that John Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, was noticeably unhappy with his seat at an event. He was placed at the very end of a long table, which seemed to be the least desirable spot, and became so upset that he left twice, angrily confronting museum staff.

He eventually took his seat.

On an episode of The Late Late Show in 2018, James Corden playfully challenged Anna Wintour to reveal any celebrity she’d ban from attending the Met Gala.

She responded, “Donald Trump.” Both Donald and Melania Trump have gone to the Met Gala a number of times, but the last time they walked the famous steps was in 2012.

Former fashion mentor Tim Gunn claims he’s been banned from the Met Gala. He says Anna Wintour blacklisted him after he shared a story with The Post that she didn’t like.

He described the situation as chaotic and wild, stating on TopMob’s Fashion Police in 2016, “It was insane.” He added that this marked the beginning of a long-standing conflict, saying, “So we have had an open war ever since.”

Dinner will be served at the event. Stephen Colbert once shared that everyone had to wait for Anna Wintour to be seated before they could start eating.

And, like every other aspect, Wintour is heavily involved in the menu planning for each gala. 

According to a source at Vogue, Anna Wintour once prohibited certain foods from events because they could get stuck in teeth (like parsley), cause bad breath (lots of garlic), or—most importantly—stain a guest’s dress. As a result, the appetizers served are designed to be easy to eat.

Anna Wintour generally likes the food at events to match the overall theme, but it doesn’t always happen.

Sean Driscoll, the owner of Glorious Food and the caterer for every Met Gala from 1995 to 2018, explained that serving lamb potpies at the 2011 Met Gala—themed around “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”—led to numerous requests for alternative meals, as many guests didn’t want to eat it.

People also care about how the food looks, and filmmaker Andrew Rossi, who directed The First Monday in May, was surprised by how much attention to detail went into it. He recalls attending a tasting with Anna Wintour and watching her research food presentations on her phone – a testament to her dedication to even the smallest aspects of the event.

It’s unclear why Anna Wintour banned selfies and social media at the event back in 2015 – no official reason was ever given. The decision remains a mystery, considering the event was already known for inspiring envy and a fear of missing out.

According to a source at Vogue, guests received a notice before the gala stating that photography and posting on social media would not be allowed inside the event.

The magazine didn’t offer a statement about the report, but a source shared with The Hollywood Reporter that the issue was only related to keeping guests safe and ensuring they enjoyed the event.

Anna Wintour’s dislike of guests using phones at the Met Gala was highlighted in the documentary The First Monday in May. In one scene, she learned a male celebrity—whose identity was hidden on request—had decided to attend after previously saying he wouldn’t. She then asked Ward Durrett, “Could he please not be on his phone the whole time?”

Ward Durrett told The Post that Anna prefers classic, social gatherings. “She enjoys dinner parties where guests actually talk to one another,” he said. “We don’t want people constantly on their phones, but if someone is clearly distracted, we might politely remind them to engage.”

Even though Anna Wintour doesn’t allow photos, celebrities have frequently ignored the rule. A well-known example is Kylie Jenner’s bathroom selfie taken at the 2017 Met Gala.

Attendees must be at least 18 years old to enter the event. This age restriction was confirmed by organizers after Maddie Ziegler shared that she couldn’t attend the 2018 Met Gala because she was only 15. She explained to The Hollywood Reporter, “I can’t go, because I’m not old enough!”

The event is not suitable for anyone under 18, the organizer told The Hollywood Reporter, and this age restriction began this year.

Before 2018, the Met Gala had seen some remarkably young attendees. Jaden and Willow Smith both attended in 2016, at ages 17 and 15, while Elle Fanning first appeared at the event when she was only 13. Hailee Steinfeld also made her Met Gala debut at 14, back in 2011.

It looks like there’s an exception for younger celebrities: if their parents are going to the event, they can attend too.

Anna Wintour has the final say on what everyone wears to the Met Gala, but attendees don’t technically need her approval – though she does know what everyone is wearing on the red carpet.

As Andre Leon Talley explained in The First Monday in May, it’s as if each celebrity was assigned a designer. Riccardo Tisci, formerly of Givenchy, who dressed Beyoncé and Madonna for the 2016 Met Gala, added that each designer chooses a celebrity who best embodies their artistic vision.

Generally, a celebrity’s outfit at an event is chosen by the designer who asked them to attend.

The annual gala always has a theme – for example, 2024’s was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” and 2019’s was “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” However, guests and designers have a lot of freedom in how they choose to express that theme; there aren’t many hard and fast rules.

So, how does the Met Gala decide on its yearly theme? It’s a year-long process that begins well over a year in advance. Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute’s dedicated curator, carefully selects a theme that feels current and meaningful to culture.

He told Vogue that he focuses on subjects that feel current and reflect a changing culture. They aim for a diverse range of exhibitions, balancing shows that explore historical and contemporary themes, and those dedicated to individual designers. The goal is to keep things interesting and varied.

Once he’s found a few good options, he submits them to the museum director for approval. Then, Anna Wintour gives her final approval roughly a year in advance.

The curator, a highly respected figure in the British art world, said it would be very challenging to manage without her colleague’s help. Anna is responsible for finding sponsors for the exhibition. Sometimes the curator has ideas that aren’t necessarily mainstream or likely to attract funding, and Anna helps navigate that.

After walking the red carpet and climbing the famous steps, guests are greeted by Anna Wintour and the event’s hosts – this year including Bad Bunny, Zendaya, Chris Hemsworth, and Jennifer Lopez – in a receiving line. This part usually takes a while, with lots of cheek kisses and polite conversation.

Guests then get a private viewing of the Costume Institute’s exhibition before it opens to everyone else. Afterwards, there’s a reception with food, socializing, and entertainment, including music, dancing, and performances by stars like Rihanna and Lady Gaga.

When it comes to the biggest stars at the Met Gala, a large part of the planning pressure comes from organizing the evening’s entertainment.

As shown in the documentary The First Monday in May, Ward Durrett struggled to afford Rihanna’s fee for the annual gala.

Rihanna’s payment is roughly double what we’ve paid any artist before,” she explained, after speaking with someone on her team. “They’ve made it clear they won’t negotiate a lower price.”

Eventually, Wintour was called to step in and figure out the situation.

In addition to the security provided by the Museum for the red carpet, celebrities can also have their personal security teams with them at the event.

The jewels are definitely the most heavily secured items at the event. In past years, celebrities like Lively have worn over $3.5 million in jewelry, and Karlie Kloss once showcased $2.5 million worth of Forevermark pieces.

Because the diamonds are extremely valuable, Forevermark keeps the details of its security process confidential. However, a security guard is always present until the diamonds are returned safely. They also use extra security like RFID trackers and video surveillance, according to a Forevermark representative who spoke with TopMob News.

So yes, Ocean’s 8 definitely got that aspect of the Met Gala right.

Because most Met Gala dresses are either made specifically for the event or borrowed from designer collections, celebrities usually don’t get to keep them. Typically, the gowns are returned to the design house and added to their archives.

In 2018, Balmain’s creative director, Olivier Rousteing, partnered with Bono’s RED organization to auction off one-of-a-kind clothing items worn by celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, and Trevor Noah. All of the money raised from the auction went to the Global Fund.

At the 2021 event, everyone had to wear masks and show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. This led rapper Nicki Minaj to decide against attending.

Nicki Minaj shared on Twitter that she’s being encouraged to get vaccinated so she can attend the Met Gala. However, she said her vaccination decision won’t be because of the event, but rather after she’s done her own research, which she’s currently working on. She also advised her fans to stay safe and wear well-fitted masks with secure head and face straps, rather than loose-fitting ones.

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2025-11-25 16:49