Anna Wintour has responded to the backlash surrounding Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez, for sponsoring the upcoming Met Gala: and defends his involvement.

“I think Lauren will be a wonderful asset to the museum and the event,” Wintour told CNN on Monday. “I’m so grateful for her incredible generosity, and she’s a huge lover of costumes and obviously fashion, so we’re thrilled to have her be part of the night.”

Wintour stepped down as editor-in-chief of Vogue earlier this year, but continues to organize the Met Gala as chief content officer of Condé Nast.

Lauren Sanchez, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Anna Wintour attend the Tom Ford AW20 show at Milk Studios on February 7, 2020 in Hollywood, California.
Lauren Sanchez, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Anna Wintour attend the Tom Ford AW20 show at Milk Studios on February 7, 2020 in Hollywood, California.

Kevin Mazur via Getty Images

The Met announced this year’s theme, “Costume Art,” and the gala’s sponsors on Instagram last week. The revelation that one of the world’s richest men and his wife would be associated with the event sparked swift criticism online.

“Billionaires support other billionaires for their fancy party,” one person commented. on Instagram.

The Met Gala is the primary fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, which relies heavily on large donors and corporate sponsorships. Big fashion houses usually finance the event; Louis Vuitton, for example, sponsored last year’s edition.

Bezos and Sánchez debuted as a couple at the 2024 gala and skipped the 2025 festivities to focus on their wedding.