Zohran Mamdani’s Met Gala Post Sparks Praise
The Met Gala is one of New York City’s biggest nights, so it’s only right that the mayor gets the coveted invite.
Every NYC mayor since 2002 has attended the annual fundraiser, which raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Here’s to Bill de Blasio in 2021.
Here’s to Eric Adams in 2022.
And here’s Michael Bloomberg, a confirmed Met Gala regular who attended a ton of times between 1998 and 2026.
Mayor Mamdani and the (super stylish) first lady, Rama Duwaji, were reportedly invited to the Met Gala but, in a break from tradition, declined to attend.
In an interview with Hell Gate in April, Mamdani praised the Met as a “wonderful museum” and “an important part of the city,” but said he would not attend the prestigious red carpet event on May 4 to focus on “affordability and making the most expensive city in the United States affordable.”
He did not elaborate, but the mayor’s decision to skip the event came in the midst of a major controversy surrounding this year’s Met Gala, due to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos serving as the lead sponsor, and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos.
In the weeks leading up to the event, “Boycott The Bezos Met Gala” posters appeared in NYC. One poster read, “The Bezos Met Gala: Brought to You by the Company That Makes ICE,” and another read, “Only a few are ruining this nation with the super rich.”
And it wasn’t just anti-billionaire protesters protesting the so-called “Bezos Met Gala.” Celebrities and former Met Gala attendees like Olivia Rodrigo, Cara Delevingne, and Bella Hadid appeared to like the Instagram post criticizing Bezos’ involvement in fundraising. Taraji P. Henson also wrote on IG that she was “confused” to see so many celebrities still planning to attend, asking: “WTF ARE WE DO!?!?!?!”
We can’t say for sure that Bezos’ backlash is what made the mayor decide to skip the Met Gala. However, she recently shared a bold Instagram post that caught the attention of some fashion industry giants. “While the world’s eyes are on fashion’s biggest night, ours are turning to the garment workers, vendors, and custodians who keep the industry running,” he wrote on the @nycmayor IG page. “From true love found on the sewing line to a free sewing school out of the Brooklyn basement – meet the New Yorkers who make it all happen.”
The post – which you can find here – is being hailed as the perfect statement amid the Bezos backlash, with fans also saying Mamdani’s decision not to attend the Met Gala was the real deal. “This is how you criticize the Met Gala and not fashion as an art form!!!” one Reddit user highlighted.
“Someone in power with backbone is always a welcome change!” another user wrote. “It’s sickening to see how many celebrities are more than happy to meet Bezos, although unfortunately it’s not surprising.”
Well, all you have to do now is log on to @nycmayor Instagram and read about all the beautiful New Yorkers! Enjoy!
