A private pre-Met Gala party hosted by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos will take place this weekend in New York, according to a Variety exclusive.
Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez to Host Met Gala Pre-Party
This year, the high-profile couple is gearing up to make their debut as honorary co-chairs and major financial sponsors of this year’s Met Gala.
Invitations to Saturday night’s event, obtained by Variety, carry the subject line: “INVITE: Jeff and Lauren Bezos invite you.” The invitation features a disco-inspired graphic showing the profile of a face with glittery red lipstick and the words: “Pre-meeting party May 2nd at 8pm Address: to come for confirmation.”
Sources cited by Variety indicate that the meeting is expected at the couple’s New York residence, although representatives for Bezos and Sánchez Bezos declined to comment on the venue or details of the guest list.
The private meeting comes just two days before the Met Gala, one of the most important events in the global fashion calendar, where the couple will formally appear as honorary co-chairs. Their role this year goes beyond ceremonial duties, with the pair also serving as major financial supporters of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute benefit.
Themed “Fashion is Art,” the gala will also feature an influential lineup of co-chairs including Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and longtime Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
However, the appointment of Bezos and Sánchez Bezos drew criticism in New York and across social media circles. Earlier this month, posters appeared in Manhattan calling for a boycott of what activists described as “The Bezos Met Gala.”
The guerilla poster campaign reportedly criticized Amazon’s labor practices, specifically citing allegations of “labor exploitation” in warehouse operations. Some posters also referenced reports regarding government contracts for Amazon Web Services, including technology partnerships associated with the US Department of Homeland Security.
The backlash added a political edge to this year’s gala, an event traditionally associated with celebrity spectacle and fashion statements rather than outright public protest.
Despite the controversy, the Met Gala remains one of the most anticipated luminaries in the entertainment and fashion industry, regularly attracting celebrities, designers, artists and business leaders. The annual fundraiser supports the Costume Institute’s exhibitions and acquisitions, with ticket prices historically reaching tens of thousands of dollars per guest.
In recent years, Bezos and Sánchez Bezos have increasingly expanded their presence in elite cultural and philanthropic circles, appearing at major global events and supporting major arts initiatives.
Their decision to host a private pre-party suggests an effort to cement their place at the center of fashion’s biggest weekend, even as criticism continues to overshadow their growing influence on one of New York’s most visible cultural institutions.
Variety first reported the details of the invitation and the planned event.
