Even in an event dedicated to fashion, Rev. Al Sharpton made his voice ring louder than his bold suit jacket on Monday.
After learning that Mayor Zohran Mamdani was skipping the 2026 Met Gala due to controversy over Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos sponsoring the event, Sharpton backed the mayor’s decision not to attend while also rebuking the billionaire class.
“That’s his decision,” Sharpton said of Mamdani opting out of participating in the event. “I think – I wanted to be here, we fought for years, and you’ve covered it better than anybody — for diversity. So how could I not be here to support Beyoncé and Venus Williams? So, I don’t care how much the billionaires have; they can’t buy my seat.”
Beyoncé and Williams are serving as the co-chairs for this year’s event alongside Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour. The theme, “Costume Art,” also has a dress code, “Fashion Is Art.” Sharpton made certain his suit met both requirements as he had golden pinstripes with his suit. The event has become an annual one for the civil rights activist, who made his Met Gala debut in 2025 where the theme of the night was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” an ode to Black male dandyism.
“It’s great to be celebrated at the Met Gala, the premiere gala in fashion,” Sharpton said in 2025. “It shows that we can be dandy and celebrate ourselves even when we’re under attack. We will not be defeated. We will not go back. Look at the stars and all of us that have come out tonight. I think André Talley would have been proud. André Leon Talley would have been proud to see us walk this carpet in the midst of diversity being under attack. We’re still here standing strong.”
