Amazon workers organized their own fashion show in New York while Jeff Bezos sponsored the Met Gala across town. The “Ball Without Billionaires” featured hundreds of workers from Amazon, Starbucks, and Uber as runway models.
The timing wasn’t accidental. As Bezos and his wife served as honorary chairs of fashion’s biggest night, workers wanted to make their own statement about who deserves recognition.
Workers Strike Back in Style
The Service Employees International Union organized the counter-event in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. Current and former workers from Amazon warehouses, Whole Foods stores, and other companies walked the runway wearing designs from emerging designers. Their message was simple: if the Met Gala’s theme was “Fashion Is Art,” theirs was “Labor Is Art.”
Union president April Verrett told the crowd: “Every year, the Met Gala tells a story about who matters, who gets seen, who gets celebrated. This year, we decided to center us.”
The event comes as Bezos faces growing criticism over Amazon’s labor practices. “Boycott the Bezos Met Gala” posters appeared around New York in recent weeks, and the city’s mayor skipped the gala entirely.
What’s Next
The fashion show represents a new approach for labor organizers – using high-profile cultural events to draw attention to worker issues. With Amazon continuing to face unionization efforts nationwide, expect more creative protests targeting the company’s public image.
