Before her appearance tonight on the 2026 Met Gala’s garden-inspired carpet, honorary chair Lauren Sánchez Bezos had a packed weekend. Of course, there were the typical getting-ready appointments—a facial, a final fitting with Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry, and hosting a star-studded party—but she also did something a little out of the ordinary.
“I went to visit the New York Fire Department and did their training,” Sánchez Bezos says. “It’s probably the most unique Met prep ever.” The routine included donning gear, crawling through a smoke-filled obstacle course, and practicing how to save a life. “It was bananas, but I loved it. I probably lost about two pounds doing it.”
Of course, other types of prep for a Met Gala start months earlier. For Sánchez Bezos, it began when she selected Schiaparelli for her dress. “The theme is ‘Costume Art,’ and that’s exactly what Elsa Schiaparelli was doing 100 years ago,” Sánchez Bezos says. “She wasn’t just decorating bodies—she was making art on bodies.”
The final look was conceived following a casual conversation in Paris between Sánchez Bezos, Roseberry, and her stylist, Law Roach. “We discussed what I like to wear and my personality, and then Daniel molded it into the design.”
The dress is a reference to one of the most famous portraits in The Met’s collection: Madame X by John Singer Sargent. Sargent’s 1883 masterwork has a storied history: The portrait originally depicted French socialite Madame Pierre Gautreau in a black fitted gown, with one strap subtly slipping off her shoulder—a detail that caused such an uproar that Sargent repainted the strap upright. Sargent hid the painting for three decades because of its controversy, eventually selling it directly to The Met with a note of sadness: “I suppose it is the best thing I have done,” he said.
Sánchez Bezos says she was drawn to the story, “particularly how a small detail, like the fallen jeweled strap, once sparked such a strong public reaction. When you stand in front of it now, you see a beautiful woman. For me, the image represents how fashion and cultural standards can shift over time. Today, a strap is a strap, but back when Madame X was painted by Sargent, a strap was a scandal.”
As for the Schiaparelli interpretation, she says, “Daniel took the spirit of the gown painted by Sargent and made something entirely his own.” The strap is positioned off her shoulder—just like in Sargent’s original painting.“The silhouette nods to the painting, and the pearl-and-crystal straps are a quiet reference to the originals, but everything else is Daniel. His craftsmanship is breathtaking.”
Like many of Sánchez Bezos’s fashion choices, the look is body-conscious, highlighting her waist. “That might’ve been the one direction that I gave Daniel,” she says, adding that she worked with tailor Laura Basci. “I was like, ‘Let’s do a waist.’”
That means there’s a corset laced up tight behind the seams. “Just so you know—I can walk and sit down with ease,” she says, alluding to the viral moment of Tyla being carried up the stairs in a custom Balmain dress at the 2024 Met Gala. “I will definitely be able to walk up those stairs.”
When it comes to her glam, Sánchez Bezos is less precious. For the night, she recruited makeup artist Maria Vargas, hairstylist Rick Henry, and manicurist Thaisa. “I like to let them do their thing, and it always works out for me.”
Theo Wargo
