Why the Bezos-backed Met Gala is so controversial – The Latest
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What is the Met Gala and why is it significant?
This is The Guardian.
The Met Gala, it's got a lot to do with fashion, but it is also about, like, who's got the power. You know, it's a grotesque pageant, sort of a striking representation of the way that rich people co-opt arts and sport and culture. And at the moment, the big tech has the money.
Tomorrow is one of fashion's most glamorous nights, the annual Met Gala in New York City. This year, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos are the lead sponsors and honorary chairs.
The thing about Jeff Bezos is that he's definitely not known for his style. And I would say Lauren Sanchez is not particularly known for her style either. In the last sort of nine months or so, there have also been rumours that Bezos is possibly plans to buy Condé Nast. The sort of crossover between ethics and the neckline of doing this is not an obvious one.
Tonight's glitzy Met Gala in New York will be co-chaired by Jeff Bezos, drawing condemnation and calls for a boycott. Why has Anna Wintour turned the fashion gala into a tech bro ball? From the Guardians today on Focus, this is the latest with me, Lucy Hoth. Well, I'm joined by Moana Ferrier, the Guardian's fashion and lifestyle editor. Thanks so much for dialing in, Moana. No problem. So this evening, there is this hotly anticipated, I mean, it's like this blockbuster moment in the fashion calendar, isn't it? The Met Gala in New York, which is hosted by Anna Wintour, formerly the editor of Vogue, now in a sort of oversight role at Condé Nast the publishing company but this year's gala is drawing controversy for the sponsorship and attendance of Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez what's going on in terms of that relationship and why this is happening?
So the Met Gala, technically it's a fundraiser for the Costin Institute, which is a part of the museum. And they raise money through selling very, very, very expensive tickets. It's $100,000 of tickets, right? Which is more than it was last year. And for a whole table, it's $350,000. Wow. It's got a lot to do with fashion, but it is also about kind of like who's got the power, who are the big names. And also there's sort of interesting time for the industry because luxury fashion is kind of bottoming out a little bit. So they need money, basically. And this is kind of where Jeff Bezos has sort of stepped in. Now, he already has a relationship with Anna Wintour and Vogue in that Lauren Sanchez, his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, appeared on the cover of Vogue last year.
Who are this year's honorary chairs and why are they controversial?
It was about her wedding. Anna Wintour was quite involved in that side of things, helping her pick her dress. And so over the past eight or nine months, there's just been a kind of very sort of gradual sort of influx from the Bezos side couple into the fashion industry and we've kind of reached it's kind of the tip of the iceberg here which is funding or partially funding the Met Gala and it's thought that they are donating 10 million dollars I don't know the exact figure and there's kind of different figures kind of on the internet but it's a lot of money basically
I mean, Moena, in so many ways, Jeff Bezos needs no introduction, but obviously is in many ways emblematic of the toxicity of this tech bro billionaire class. The reported working conditions at Amazon, where he made his initial fortune. His recent purchase of The Washington Post, which has led to mass layoffs of hundreds of journalists there. His support, his close ties with the Trump administration, his initial donation of $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, his attendance along with other journalists. tech giants of the inauguration itself and his funding through Amazon Studios of a documentary in inverted commas about Trump's wife Melania that has proved highly controversial. So the fact that this man with his wife are not just attending but co-chairing and sponsoring an event like the Met Gala speaks to something politically, doesn't it?
It has come at, I mean, the timing is terrible, obviously, with laying everybody off at the Washington Post.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the Met Gala and why is it significant?
0:00–2:40
2
Who are this year's honorary chairs and why are they controversial?
2:40–5:46
3
What financial implications does the Met Gala have?
5:46–8:21
4
How does Jeff Bezos's involvement affect the perception of the Met Gala?
8:21–10:22
5
What are the ethical concerns surrounding the Met Gala's sponsorship?
10:22–10:33