The annual Met Gala has a new sponsor — China’s TikTok, which will have a major presence at this year’s celebrity ball.
Vogue’s Anna Wintour announced Thursday that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will serve as an “honorary chair” at this year’s event, taking a seat alongside such celebrity chairs as Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Hemsworth, and Zendaya.
TikTok’s sponsorship for the 2024 Met Gala was first unveiled in November, with the Chinese social media giant proclaiming it would be the “lead” benefactor of the gala as well as the Met Costume Institute’s 2024 spring exhibition: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”
The Spanish fashion brand Loewe is also serving as a sponsor this year.
This marks the first time that TikTok has sponsored the Met Gala. Instagram and Amazon have served as sponsors in the past. Last year’s Met Gala was sponsored by Chanel.
It remains unclear how much TikTok will spend on this year’s gala. Sponsors typically foot a large chunk of the bill for the evening’s food, drinks, and other forms of entertainment.
TikTok’s Shou Zi Chew was grilled last year before members of Congress over the fact that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has access to data of the tens of millions of Americans who use the addictive app.
He testified again earlier this year over the company’s ties to China’s Communist Party and the national security risk that it poses.
The annual Met Gala is not only a must-attend event for celebrities. It has also become a favorite destination for Democrat politicians looking to rub elbows with the rich and famous. Past attendees include Hillary Clinton, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and New York Mayor Eric Adams (D).
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com
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