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Met Gala 2026: "Costume Art" Theme Celebrated Amidst Sponsor Controversy
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Met Gala 2026: "Costume Art" Theme Celebrated Amidst Sponsor Controversy

From La Nación · (14m ago) Spanish Mixed tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Met Gala 2026, themed "Costume Art," took place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, showcasing celebrities' interpretations of the theme.
  • The event featured hosts Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams, with Emma Chamberlain serving as the red carpet correspondent.
  • Controversy arose due to the involvement of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez as main sponsors and honorary co-chairs, sparking protests over their business practices.

New York City's iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art once again became the epicenter of fashion and celebrity as it hosted the highly anticipated Met Gala 2026. Under the theme "Costume Art," the event celebrated the intricate relationship between fashion and art, with attendees dazzling on the red carpet in avant-garde ensembles.

This year's gala, curated by Andrew Bolton, aimed to re-center the human form within artistic and fashion discourse, drawing connections between museum pieces and art from various eras. The museum's press release highlighted how these pairings explore the "omnipresence and resilience" of different body types across cultures and time.

La idea era volver a incluir el cuerpo en las conversaciones sobre arte y moda, y ensalzarlo, no eliminarlo para elevar la moda a forma de arte

— Andrew BoltonThe chief curator explains the conceptual basis for the "Costume Art" theme.

While stars like Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams graced the event as hosts, and Emma Chamberlain provided live coverage as the red carpet correspondent, the gala was not without its share of controversy. The presence of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez as main sponsors and honorary co-chairs drew significant criticism.

Protests erupted in Manhattan, with demonstrators decrying the perceived contradiction of celebrating "costume art" under the patronage of individuals whose business empires are associated with questionable labor practices, tax transparency issues, and controversial political agendas. This aspect of the event has ignited a debate about the intersection of high fashion, corporate influence, and social responsibility, overshadowing some of the glamour for critics.

Estas combinaciones están organizadas en una serie de tipos de cuerpos temáticos que reflejan su omnipresencia y resistencia a través del tiempo y las culturas

— Museum Press ReleaseThis quote from the museum's press release elaborates on the thematic organization of the exhibition.
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Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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