Wie Tech-Milliardäre Couture zu Content machen
The Met Gala, long considered the premier event for fashion and cultural influence, has become increasingly dominated by tech billionaires. This year, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos purchased their role as co-hosts, sparking protests in New York and raising questions about whether money alone now buys entry into the highest echelons of fashion. Individual tickets cost $10,000 and a table $350,000, with sponsors including OpenAI, Snapchat, and Meta. The event, organized by Anna Wintour to raise funds for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, raised $31 million last year but has transformed from a benefit into a spectacle optimized for viral moments and algorithmic appeal.
This shift matters because it signals a fundamental change in the cultural power dynamics of the fashion world. Tech entrepreneurs, traditionally outsiders to fashion's elite, are leveraging their wealth to gain access and positive PR, particularly targeting female audiences. The resulting outfits have become increasingly costume-like and absurd, designed for social media virality rather than aesthetic merit. The event's dress code, "Fashion is Art," was exemplified by Sánchez Bezos wearing a Schiaparelli gown inspired by a painting in the adjacent museum, underscoring how the Met Gala now prioritizes content creation over genuine fashion commentary, potentially diluting its cultural relevance.