He added: \u201cThey display conspicuous consumption [and] they have the \u2018AWOK\u2019 \u2013 the Anna Wintour OK.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, the couple\u2019s prominent role has prompted unease among some within fashion circles.<\/p>\n
One industry insider told Page Six: \u201cI\u2019m heartbroken. It\u2019s being able to buy yourself into [the good graces of] Anna and the Met.\u201d<\/p>\n
The criticism follows a period of increased public visibility for the Bezoses, including their high-profile Venice wedding in 2025, which was attended by figures such as Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio.<\/p>\n
Lauren Bezos also appeared on a digital cover of Vogue before the wedding, reportedly wearing Dolce and Gabbana, in what was widely interpreted as a signal of approval from Wintour.<\/p>\n
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former Vogue special events planner who oversaw the Met Gala for more than a decade, told Page Six: \u201cFor me, it\u2019s not just about the gala, it reflects a broader shift in the world we\u2019re living in.\u201d<\/p>\n
She continued: \u201cThere was a time when access to spaces like the Met Gala, or even the pages of Vogue, wasn\u2019t something you could simply obtain, it was something you grew into through your influence, your work and your impact. It carried a sense of prestige that felt earned, not transactional.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe gala has evolved. And, in many ways, it\u2019s become something different. It used to be a true celebration of designers, their muses and the artistry behind fashion. Every person on that carpet felt intentional, like they were part of a larger narrative. That sense of purpose feels less defined now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wintour, who stepped back from day-to-day editorial duties at Vogue earlier this year while remaining Cond\u00e9 Nast\u2019s chief content officer, has overseen record fundraising totals, with the gala reportedly raising US$31 million in 2024. According to sources cited by Page Six, Wintour may have approached Bezos about sponsoring the event up to two years ago, although others suggested the discussions followed the couple\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n
The sponsorship \u2013 reported by Page Six to be between US$10 million and US$20 million \u2013 underscores the growing financial scale of the gala, as well as the influence of ultra-wealthy patrons. Bezos and his wife are expected to attend the event alongside high-profile guests, including Kris Jenner.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"He added: \u201cThey display conspicuous consumption [and] they have the \u2018AWOK\u2019 \u2013 the Anna Wintour OK.\u201d However, the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":411811,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[2246,63973,44440,430,156,56682,305,12022,185,11540,47365,1132,111,139,69,10142,3048,1961,61,810,161074,1530],"class_list":["post-411810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-2246","tag-34m","tag-bezos","tag-celebrities","tag-entertainment","tag-gala","tag-have","tag-host","tag-is","tag-jeff","tag-met","tag-million","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-paid","tag-said","tag-this","tag-to","tag-up","tag-us20","tag-years"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=411810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/411810\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/411811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=411810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=411810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=411810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}