Beyoncé Returns to Met Gala as Co-Chair Amid Bezos Controversy and $10 Million Donation

Key facts

• Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour co-chaired the 2026 Met Gala on May 4.
• Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos served as honorary chairs, contributing $10 million.
• The dress code was 'Fashion Is Art,' tied to the exhibition 'Costume Art' opening May 10.
• Rihanna arrived after 9 p.m. in Maison Margiela fall 2025 couture with a metallic wreath.
• Madonna appeared with a pirate ship headpiece, a boombox, and a golden horn.
• Blake Lively attended hours after settling her lawsuit with Justin Baldoni, wearing archival Versace.
• Individual tickets cost $100,000; tables start at $350,000.
• The 2025 Met Gala raised $31 million, the highest since 1948.

A Night of Art and Protest

The 2026 Met Gala unfolded on Monday, May 4, on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, blending high fashion with undercurrents of controversy. The annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute, now housed in the new Condé M. Nast Galleries, drew an estimated crowd of protesters across Fifth Avenue, angered by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s role as honorary chair. Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, contributed $10 million for the privilege, a sum that rankled many amid ongoing economic strains and Bezos’s $1 million donation to Donald Trump’s 2024 inauguration. The exhibition, titled “Costume Art,” explores the intersection of fashion and art through nine thematic sections: the Pregnant Body, Corpulent Body, Disabled Body, Naked & Nude Body, Classical Body, Abstract Body, Aging Body, Mortal Body, and Epidermal Body. Designer Thom Browne dressed his eight guests to correspond to each section, creating a living tour of the exhibition on the red carpet.

Beyoncé’s Triumphant Return

Beyoncé made her first Met Gala appearance since 2016, arriving around 8:30 p.m. as a co-chair alongside Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. She wore a shimmering silver Olivier Rousteing gown with bedazzled-skeleton detailing, a silver headpiece, and a long gray feather train, styled by Ty Hunter. The singer was joined by her husband Jay-Z and their teenage daughter Blue Ivy, who wore a cream-colored gown and posed with her parents. “Family” was the essence of Beyoncé’s look, she said. The arrival drew screams from Fifth Avenue and a barrage of camera flashes, cementing the evening as what some called the “Beyoncé Gala.” Blue Ivy’s presence marked a generational moment on the carpet.

Rihanna, Madonna, and the Late Arrivals

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky shut down the red carpet after 9 p.m., with Rihanna in Maison Margiela’s fall 2025 couture, swapping the covered face for a metallic wreath. A$AP Rocky wore a pink Chanel robe with a signature floral brooch, described as elegantly disarming. Madonna arrived with a pirate ship atop her head, a personal boombox playing an instrumental tune, and a long gray train carried by attendants in sheer blindfolds. She carried a golden horn in an opera-gloved hand. Other late arrivals included Cher and Anne Hathaway, who stepped out with designer Michael Kors in a bird-adorned gown, joined by her “The Devil Wears Prada 2” costars Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. Meryl Streep was notably absent.

Blake Lively and Kim Kardashian’s Notable Entrances

Blake Lively arrived quietly in a cascading pink and purple archival Versace ballgown, just hours after settling her bombshell lawsuit with “It Ends with Us” costar and director Justin Baldoni. She posed briefly for cameras before speaking with Vogue and heading inside. The actress had not attended the gala since 2022, when she served as a co-chair. Kim Kardashian made her entrance with a special date and a hair transformation, though details of her look were not immediately disclosed. The evening also saw appearances by Sabrina Carpenter, Teyana Taylor, Elizabeth Debicki, Chase Sui Wonders, and Blackpink’s Lisa, all part of the host committee.

The Cost of Fashion and the Bezos Backlash

The 2026 Met Gala raised funds through individual tickets priced at $100,000 and tables starting at $350,000, with proceeds supporting the Costume Institute’s exhibitions, acquisitions, publications, and operations. The 2025 gala brought in $31 million, the largest amount since the event began in 1948. The Bezos contribution of $10 million as honorary chairs sparked immediate backlash upon the February announcement, with critics citing Amazon’s $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration and broader economic challenges. Protests on the sidewalk across from the museum were anticipated, though past gatherings have largely consisted of fans cheering. The controversy raised questions about whether the political and economic tensions would overshadow the fashion spectacle.

Exhibition and Future Outlook

The “Costume Art” exhibition, previewed for media and guests on Monday morning, opens to the public on Sunday, May 10, and runs through January 10, 2027. It is presented in new galleries on the museum’s first floor, marking the Costume Institute’s move from its basement headquarters. The dress code, “Fashion Is Art,” encouraged guests to interpret the theme artistically, with designers including Gucci’s Demna and Saint Laurent’s Anthony Vaccarello contributing looks. The gala’s host committee was co-chaired by Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz. As the evening progressed, the focus remained on the interplay between fashion and art, even as the Bezos controversy lingered. The event’s ability to draw attention despite the protests underscored its enduring cultural significance.

A Night of High Stakes and Higher Heels

The 2026 Met Gala demonstrated that fashion’s biggest night remains a potent mix of glamour, commerce, and social commentary. The presence of tech founders and political donations injected a note of tension into an evening otherwise devoted to artistic expression. Yet the star power of Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Madonna ensured that the red carpet dominated headlines. With the exhibition now open to the public, the conversation around “Costume Art” will continue. Whether the Bezos controversy will have lasting impact on the gala’s reputation remains an open question, but for one night, the Met steps were the center of the fashion world.

The bottom line

• Beyoncé returned as co-chair after a decade-long absence, joined by Jay-Z and Blue Ivy.
• Jeff Bezos’s $10 million honorary chair donation sparked protests and criticism.
• Rihanna and Madonna delivered iconic late arrivals, with elaborate costumes.
• Blake Lively attended hours after settling her lawsuit, wearing archival Versace.
• The exhibition 'Costume Art' opens May 10 and runs through January 2027.
• Individual tickets cost $100,000; the 2025 gala raised a record $31 million.