New York is the rook on America’s political chessboard. It is vital for opening up points, supporting pawns and executing checkmates. Currently, at the helm of the economic center is an Indian-origin mayor, Zohran Mamdani. With no previous ties to politics and an eccentric career as a rapper, his win created much history in the city’s political journey, making him the first, Indian-origin, Muslim mayor. With his own affiliations to the creative industry and his wife’s job as an illustrator slash fashionista, many expected New York’s first couple to break headlines and shock attendees at this year’s Met Gala. However, both Mamdani and Duwaji skipped the green carpet.
Why did Zohran Mamdani skip the Met Gala 2026 ?
Well, Mamdani is a proud socialist. As much of a Bollywood buff as he is, his entire campaign was based on affordability. He highlighted his plans of taxing the rich, implementing large-scale social housing and expanding labor protections. Thus, on the first Monday of May, the Met Gala continued without an appearance from the NYC ‘IT’ couple. In April, Mamdani made it clear that he had no intentions of cozying up to the Kardashians and Bezoses, while revealing that he would be skipping this year’s Met. On Monday, he further pushed his statement by releasing a photo portfolio of six behind-the-scenes workers who fuel the city’s fashion industry. “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. 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,” he wrote in an X post. “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 deserve to be celebrated,” wrote the mayor in a statement to the New York Times. The shoot featured six figures:
- Hafeez Raza, a tailor from Pakistan who owns a shop on Coney Island Avenue in Midwood
- Christopher Anderson, a tailor from Jamaica, is working as a Master Tailor at Saks Fifth Avenue
- Latrice Johnson and Lamont Hopewell, former
Amazon warehouse workers and delivery drivers - Earnestine Gay, an RWDSU shop steward
- Sonia Castrejon, a Mexican tailor running a free tailoring school in Brooklyn
The class feud at the Met Gala 2026
Mamdani’s decision to skip the carpet is as much a nod to capitalism as to fashion’s true honourees. This year’s honorary chairs include Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos. They are also the gala’s sponsors along with Saint Laurent and Conde Nast. Bezos’ involvement with one of the fashion industry’s biggest events of the year has gained much backlash. As per The New York Times, a poster plastered near the museum in late April read: “The Bezos Met Gala: Brought to you by worker exploitation.”Last week, a guerrilla activist group placed bottles of fake urine inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Moreover, over the weekend, the group projected video interviews with Amazon workers and slogans on buildings near Bezos’ penthouse including: “If You Can Buy the Met Gala, You Can Pay More Taxes.”
