New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani shifted the focus away from the glitz of the Met Gala by highlighting the essential workers who keep the fashion industry afloat, The Hill reported. While the annual event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan drew significant attention, Mamdani opted to skip the gala entirely. He instead chose to amplify the voices of six specific individuals who represent the backbone of the retail, garment, and warehouse sectors.
This move stands in stark contrast to the traditional attendance of city leadership, as former mayors like Eric Adams, Bill de Blasio, and Michael Bloomberg have all participated in past years. Even on Monday, Michael Bloomberg was spotted arriving at the event, with footage of his arrival shared on Instagram by Spectrum News NY1.
Mamdani, who assumed his role in January, had previously confirmed his absence during an interview in April with Hell Gate. He noted that he and his wife, Rama Duwaji, would not be making an appearance at the museum’s fundraiser for the costume institute. Rather than walking the red carpet, the mayor used his platform on X to share stories about these workers, featuring professional photography captured by Kara McCurdy.
Mamdani wants to redirect the public gaze toward those who do the heavy lifting behind the scenes
As he wrote on X, “While the world’s eyes are on fashion’s biggest night, we’re turning ours to the garment, retail, and warehouse workers who keep the industry running.” He continued by saying, “From true love found on the picket line to a free tailoring school out of a Brooklyn basement — meet the New Yorkers who make it all possible.”
This sentiment was echoed in his comments to the magazine i-D, where he emphasized the necessity of these individuals. “The fashion industry is made possible by the thousands of workers behind the scenes — seamstresses, tailors, retail workers, delivery drivers—whose immense talent and dedication deserves to be celebrated,” Mamdani told the publication.
The six individuals spotlighted by the mayor included a diverse group of professionals. He recognized tailor and union organizer Christopher Anderson, along with Macy’s employee and union organizer Earnestine Gay. The list also featured tailor Hafeez Raza, tailor Sonia Castrejón, and former Amazon delivery employees and activists Latrice Johnson and Lamont Hopewell. By focusing on these specific people, Mamdani highlighted the intersection of labor organizing and the fashion world.
The atmosphere surrounding this year’s gala was noticeably tense, largely due to the choice of honorary chairs. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, were named to these positions in February, which triggered a wave of pushback. The activist group Everybody Hates Elon even projected the message “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala” on the Manhattan penthouse belonging to the Amazon founder on Sunday.
Members of this group have claimed they hid bottles of fake urine inside the museum, a pointed reference to reports from Amazon employees regarding extreme time demands that allegedly forced them to urinate in bottles while on shift. This issue of workplace conditions is significant, especially considering that in December 2024, Amazon reached a settlement with the Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding federal workplace safety violations, agreeing to pay $145,000.
The boycott sentiment extended well beyond activist groups. Several celebrities decided to forgo the event, and some were vocal about their reasons. Model Bella Hadid, a frequent attendee in years past, liked an Instagram video that criticized celebrities who planned to participate in the event. Actress Taraji P. Henson, who attended the gala last year, left a comment on that same video saying, “I am so confused by some ppl that are going. I am just like WTF ARE WE DOING!?!?!?!”
Not every absence was tied to the controversy, however. Meryl Streep, for instance, did not attend, though her representative clarified to People that this was not a new development. Even though she stars in the recently released film “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” her representative noted that while she appreciates Vogue and Anna Wintour, who has chaired the gala since the 1990s, the event has simply never been her scene. Zendaya also missed the festivities, with Elle reporting that she has been busy with press tours for “The Drama” and the upcoming third season of “Euphoria.”
It is fascinating to see such a prominent divide in how people view the Met Gala this year. While the event remains a major fundraiser for the museum, the choice of honorary chairs and the resulting scrutiny regarding labor practices have created a complex backdrop. Mamdani’s decision to use his platform to elevate the stories of workers like Christopher Anderson and Latrice Johnson provides a necessary counter-narrative. It is a reminder that the industry relies on the hard work of individuals who rarely get the spotlight, regardless of how much money is spent on tickets or gala themes. By focusing on these essential workers, the mayor has ensured that their contributions are not entirely overshadowed by the high-profile nature of the evening.
Published: May 5, 2026 11:45 am