Lauren Sanchez Bezos trained with the New York Fire Department to get ready for the Met Gala.
The 56-year-old star, who was honorary co-chair for this year's event alongside her Amazon-founding billionaire husband Jeff Bezos, appeared solo on the red carpet at the glitzy annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York.
Opening up on her preparations for the event, she told Vogue: "I went to visit the New York Fire Department and did their training. It’s probably the most unique Met prep ever.”
For the unexpected routine, Lauren had to put on the firefighter gear, crawl through an obstacle course filled with smoke, and even practice how to save someone's life.
She added: "It was bananas, but I loved it. I probably lost about two pounds doing it.”
Lauren chose to wear a Schiaparelli gown to fit the theme.
She explained: “The theme is ‘Costume Art,’ and that’s exactly what Elsa Schiaparelli was doing 100 years ago.
“She wasn’t just decorating bodies — she was making art on bodies.”
The dress itself pays tribute to Madame X by John Singer Sargent, one of the Met's most famous portraits in the collection.
The 1883 portrait first depicted French socialite Madame Pierre Gautreau in a black fitted gown, with a strap falling off her shoulder.
However, the detail sparked outrage, and so the artist repainted the strap in place, and hit the painting for 30 years due to the backlash.
He eventually sold the piece directing to The Met.
Lauren pondered: "[I was drawn to the story,] particularly how a small detail, like the fallen jewelled strap, once sparked such a strong public reaction.
"When you stand in front of it now, you see a beautiful woman. For me, the image represents how fashion and cultural standards can shift over time.
"Today, a strap is a strap, but back when Madame X was painted by Sargent, a strap was a scandal.”
The Met Gala has faced some backlash over Jeff and Lauren's prominent roles.
According to Page Six, the billionaire paid between $10 million and $20 million to host the event.
One industry insider told the outlet: “I’m heartbroken. It’s being able to buy yourself into (the good graces of) Anna [Wintour] and the Met.”
