Labour unions from across the United States have staged a protest event dubbed the “Ball Without Billionaires”, shifting the spotlight away from the 2026 Met Gala — including controversial billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sánchez Bezos who are co-chairs this year — and onto the workers.
The demonstration featured employees from companies tied to Bezos’ business empire, including Amazon, Whole Foods Market and The Washington Post, drawing attention to labour conditions and economic inequality as one of fashion’s most high-profile nights got underway.
At the protest, Amazon delivery drivers and warehouse workers joined former staff from The Washington Post to take part in the unconventional runway show.
Participants walked the street-turned-catwalk, twirling and dancing in outfits created by local designers. In the crowd, onlookers held up placards bearing slogans such as “You Can’t Buy Cool” and “Labor Is Art”, underscoring the demonstration’s message about the cultural and economic value of workers.
“There’s one thing more powerful than a billionaire and that’s a union,” said Abbott Elementary actress Lisa Ann Walter, who acted as one of the emcees of the event.
Dressed in a white pantsuit with the words “Art Belongs to Everyone” written on the back, the actress obliterated Bezos, describing him as a “Q-tip with a yacht”.
The show concluded on a celebratory note, as participants returned to the runway for a final bow. As they emerged, the crowd responded by tossing sunflowers and roses onto the stage, creating a vivid, symbolic finale to the demonstration.
“Most of my co-workers work two jobs,” said Mary Hill, a 72-year-old Amazon warehouse worker who walked the runway dressed in an outfit by Labyrinthave. “Why is that, when we work for one of the richest people in America? Make it make sense.”
The demonstration was one of several events and campaigns that have unfolded across New York City in recent days, all aimed at protesting Jeff Bezos’s involvement in the Met Gala.
Critics have cast Bezos as a symbol of widening economic inequality, while positioning the gala itself as an uncomfortable display of extreme wealth, particularly at a time of growing public backlash against the ultra-rich.
This year marks the first time the Met Gala has enlisted a private individual as a lead sponsor. In return for a reported $10 million sponsorship, the pair have been named honorary co-chairs, joining official co-chairs Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour.
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