The Met Gala, long‑standing fundraiser for the Costume Institute, has ignited a citywide backlash after naming Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos as honorary chairs. The $100,000 ticket price and the event’s aura of exclusivity already draw criticism, but the billionaire’s anti‑union record and $250 billion net worth have turned protesters into a vocal force across Manhattan’s streets and subways recently.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani publicly declared he would skip the gala, citing affordability, and activist collective Everyone Hates Elon plastered subway cars with posters and dumped 300 fake‑urine bottles inside the museum. The group also projected videos of Amazon workers onto the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, while the Costume Institute expects to exceed last year’s record‑breaking $31 million this haul again soon.

With Anna Wintour stepping back from Vogue’s editorial helm, the gala’s revenue stream—critical to the museum’s budget and to Condé Nast’s advertising coffers—faces uncertainty. If high‑profile sponsors continue to attract protests, corporate partners may reassess participation, potentially shrinking the event’s $31 million‑plus contribution to New York’s hospitality and retail sectors. Industry analysts warn that a sustained boycott could erode ticket sales and deter luxury brands from future collaborations, pressuring the Costume Institute to seek alternative fundraising models.