Featured Image Credit: Jamie McCarthy / Staff / Getty
You would be hard pressed to keep up with all of the celebrities that attended the Met Gala on Monday night, but one particular attendee and her dress have caused the stir on social media, with some claiming that the outfit hides a 'secret message'.
Few annual events cause as much discussion on social media than the Met Gala, as many of the world's biggest celebrities walk down the red carpet in extravagant outfits that gain attention regardless of whether they're considered good or bad.
You might have spotted people like Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and even some of the world's richest tech billionaires, but few attendees have drawn quite as much discussion as Lauren Sánchez Bezos.
Not only was she the night's biggest benefactor alongside her husband and Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos – contributing $10 million to the event in a move that has drawn protest from some – but she also caused a stir with her dress and its inspiration.
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As always the Met Gala this year had a theme, with red carpet walkers tasked with following a 'Fashion is Art' dress code, and Sánchez Bezos' inspiration point has led some to believe that it was a 'hidden message' of sorts, as reported by Business Insider.
Revealing on her Instagram, Sánchez Bezos indicated that her blue Schiaparelli dress designed by Daniel Roseberry was inspired by 'Madame X', a famous portrait of Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau by John Singer Sargent that several others took inspiration from.
While a remarkable piece of art in of itself, Sargent's 1884 piece is as famous as it is for the reception it received upon its unveiling, as while it is viewed positively in modern contexts, it was scorned following its initial exhibition.
Negative criticism focused on its vulgarity and the perceived 'unattractiveness' of Gautreau as a subject, especially relative to her own reputation, while others rejected its overt sexuality and 'promiscuity'.
Referencing a painting that was deemed so vulgar and “oversexualized” it had to be censored, depicting a woman who married into wealth, in what’s considered a strategic and transparent ploy for both artist and model to gain status and notoriety…
— Lakyn Thee Stylist (@OgLakyn) May 5, 2026
She is self aware… https://t.co/oa7MDGjlXN
Tackling the reference within Sánchez Bezos' dress, social media famous stylist Lakyn Carlton wrote on X:
"Referencing a painting that was deemed so vulgar and 'oversexualized' it had to be censored, depicting a woman who married into wealth, in what's considered a strategic and transparent ploy for both artist and model to gain status and notoriety... She is self aware..."
Carlton added to her critique by calling the Met Gala look 'vulgarity', arguing that "her taste and styling is exactly our version of the tackiness the original painting was accused of," continuing on to state that she's "not saying it's a perfect reference for her as a compliment."
