Celebrities including singers Sam Smith and Doja Cat and actress Nicole Kidman made their entrances Monday at the Met Gala, the fashion world's most coveted invitation, as protesters bashed billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' sponsorship of the event.
His wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos, was among the first celebrities to arrive at Monday’s event, an annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute that has become known for its extravagant fashion and high-profile guests.
The couple are among the event’s main sponsors with a donation reported by media outlets at US$10mil and were named honorary chairs, which led to calls for a boycott over wealth inequality and workers’ rights.
Outside the museum, protesters in colorful outfits held letters spelling out "tax the rich" and banners reading "resistance red carpet" and "eat the rich".
Stars who attended include Rihanna, Beyonce, Venus Williams and Kim Kardashian. Tickets cost US$100,000 each but most celebrities attend as guests.
This year’s dress code, "Fashion Is Art" invited guests to treat the body as a canvas. - Reuters
