Since its inception, the Met Gala has proven to be one of the glitziest events in the showbiz calendar, with stars desperately vying for a spot on the guest list.
But with fears some big names could snub the event over Jeff Bezos’ sponsorship, it’s been revealed that the charity that the event was made to support may no longer need its financial backing.
The event, which was originally created as a benefit for Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art back in 1948, will this year see stars shell out up to $100,000 for a ticket.
But Andrew Bolton, the Institute’s curator in charge, has revealed that for the past decade, the organisation has been quietly ‘putting money aside’ from the gala into a ‘quasi endowment.’
This means that by 2030, or even sooner, the Institute will have saved enough to potentially support its own basic operations for the foreseeable future, no matter how much the Met Gala raises.
Last year’s Met Gala raised $31 million, marking the highest total generated in the event’s 77-year history.
The Met Gala could soon be a thing of the past, as it’s emerged that the charity that the event was made to support may no longer need its financial backing (Anna Wintour pictured)
Andrew said: ‘I, and the museum, always wanted the department to be not as reliant on the gala every year. The Met Gala is extraordinary, but sometimes it dwarfs everything.’
Speaking to the New York Times, Andrew shared that much of the move comes to ensure the Institute’s security after the Met Gala was cancelled twice in the past, once in 2002 following September 11, and again in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.
Describing them as a wake-up call, he added that while Anna Wintour takes great pride in planning the occasion, there could reach a time when it is ‘no longer sustainable.’
He added that a long-term solution ‘would be safe in terms of the upkeep and the care of our collection and have enough money to take care of ourselves indefinitely.’
A spokesperson for the museum declined to discuss specific museum finances, but did note that the Costume Institute Fund had been formally created in 2016, and run by the Met’s investment and development teams
Costs for the teams include salaries for curators, researchers and conservators, storage and conservation of more than 33,000 objects, exhibition costs for other shows, and support of the Costume Institute’s Irene Lewisohn Costume Reference Library.
The report also alleges that with the Costume Institute’s annual budget of $5million per year, it would need an endowment of $100 million to $130 million.
In a statement, Anna told the publication: ‘As a Met trustee, I have always felt strongly that the Costume Institute must stand on a solid footing.’
In recent years, the Met Gala, which typically acts as the opening for an exhibition at the museum, had found itself at the centre of multiple controversies, with some complaining it’s forgotten about its charitable roots in favour of celebrity spectacle.
It was previously claimed that Amazon boss Jeff and his wife Lauren Sanchez shelled out more than $10 million to co-chair the annual gala alongside Anna Wintour, with some seeing this quid pro quo aspect as a stain on the whole affair.
Following news that Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez are sponsoring the event, there are already fears that some big names could snub the occasion on Monday
A campaign erupted in the wake of the Bezoses’ involvement, and now Andrew Bolton, the Institute’s curator, has revealed that the organisation has been quietly ‘putting money aside’
The couple’s involvement has raised eyebrows, especially as its been revealed their names will feature on the invite.
‘I’m heartbroken,’ said one frequent Met Gala attendee. ‘It’s being able to buy yourself into [the good graces of] Anna and the Met.’
Bella Hadid has also hit out at stars due to attend the gala on Monday due to the Bezos’ position in the event.
The supermodel, who has attended the gala five times, liked a video by Meredith Lynch on Instagram stating: ‘You cannot wear the ICE out pin to the Jeff Bezos backed MET Gala. Jeff Bezos is part of the reason we’re in this mess’.
The comment was in reference to the controversy surrounding the US’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executing an expanded mass deportation initiative under the Trump administration earlier this year.
Bella is joined in her sentiments by stars including Zendaya, who is snubbing the fashion world’s biggest event and Meryl Streep, who pulled out as co-chair.
The backlash comes due to Jeff’s behemoth organisation having contracts with ICE and Amazon Web Services reportedly (AWS) hosting data for Palantir, which provides software to ICE for tracking and identifying immigrants.
She liked the video, leading to a slew of reactions from fans writing: ‘Bella hadid seemingly confirmed she won’t be attending this year’s met gala after liking an instagram reel calling out celebs who protest ice but still attend events tied to jeff bezos, who is reportedly highly involved this year.
bella hadid liked a video saying it doesn’t make sense to wear a pin that says ‘ice out’ and still attend the met gala, since this year’s event is sponsored by jeff bezos. this lowers our chances of seeing her on the carpet on monday!
‘Apparently, Bella Hadid will not attend the Met Gala this year, as she liked a post criticizing the event and the celebrities who will be attending, since it is supported by Jeff Bezos.’
Actress Taraji P. Henson also agreed with the video, writing in the comments: ‘I am so confused by some ppl that are going. I am just like WTF ARE WE DOING!?!?!?!’
This year’s gala has faced mass scrutiny following the announcement that Amazon founder Jeff and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos would serve as lead sponsors and honorary chairs, leading to the stars’ acts of defiance.
As well as his ICE affiliation, Amazon’s treatment of workforce has also caused issues, with activist group Everyone Hates Elon displaying posters around New York reading: ‘The Bezos Met Gala: Brought to you by worker exploitation.’
An industry insider told Daily Mail: ‘It’s, quite frankly, very hurtful and very disturbing for [the Bezoses] to be the face of this year’s Met Gala…
‘Something that is really meaningful to a lot of people and to such a highly regarded and highly respected institution. It feels like a real slap in the face to a lot of people.’
The Daily Mail has been told that Meryl Streep was rumored to have been one of the Met Gala’s co-chairs this year, but allegedly declined to do so because of the Bezoses’ bankrolling and presiding over the party as guests of honor.
Internal drama is just as rampant, the fashion industry insider said, as there’s been dissent quietly brewing among those involved with planning the annual event – a fundraiser for the museum’s fashion collection.
They explained: ‘The fashion industry and the people who work in it are by and large, very liberal. Anna has always publicly supported Democratic candidates for president and Vogue endorsed Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris…
‘Even the politicians that we’ve seen attend the Met Gala over the years have been overwhelmingly liberal.
‘To have a couple that aligns themselves with and have contributed a million dollars to inaugurating a president who has sought to eviscerate DEI, dismantle Roe v Wade, disenfranchise Black voters and crack down on immigration in a way that is so inhumane and horrific, rubs a lot of people the wrong way.’
Not that the couple aren’t used to controversy.
Their lavish June 2025 Venice wedding was met with protests, while the Bezos-owned privatized space endeavor, Blue Origin, which saw Sanchez Bezos go to space with an all-female crew in April 2025, was derided as ‘gluttonous.’
The theme for this year’s Met Gala is Costume Art, while the dress code is ‘Fashion Is Art’.
The co-chairs additionally include Beyonce, Venus Williams, Nicole Kidman and also Wintour.
