"China Through Looking Glass" The Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a.k.a. The Anna Wintour Party
The Costume Institute Benefit Gala, held at The Met on May 4th - attended by only around 700 Oscar winners and losers, Wall Street moguls, Silicon Valley geeks with some social skills, designers, and Hollywood movers and shakers - is the party of the year.
Last year it generated more than $12 million, at $25,000 per ticket or starting at $175,000 per table of 10. (At these prices Cristal better be flowing as a raging river during cocktail hour, and Russian black caviar piled mountain-high on tables during dinner.)
Anna Wintour ruled the event with an iron fist, bedazzled on-trend by a rose gold Apple watch, since 1995. The recently renovated Costume Institute was even named after her last year. Before her, the Gala was just a party for local socialites. Wintour not only controls the guest list - banning the Real Housewifes from even attempting to buy a table, yet allowing Bieber and Kardashians - but dictates what certain guests will wear. Majority of her staff is required to handle the event planning that takes the entire year in addition to their everyday jobs (cue The Devil Wears Prada).
This year the Met Gala was co-hosted by Jennifer Lawrence and Marrisa Meyer who spends more time on the pages of Vogue than in a Yahoo boardroom. This is the event where haute couture is a must, avant garde is celebrated, and dressing to the theme is allowed. Although some take it way too literary.
The Met Gala is all business nowadays, with certain celebs even calling the party "boring" a couple of years ago. The cost of the table is part of the business plan of any fashion house worth their salt, and any actress or actor clamoring for a beauty contract or a brand ambassadorship will die for an invitation. Chiara Ferragni of the Blonde Salad - the original fashion blogger from Italy - is attending for the first time and is most likely the guest of Calvin Klein since they dressed her for the evening (she should send a personal note to her 3+ million Instagram followers who got her to his point.) Katie Holmes, who undoubtedly is looking for more lucrative commercial work, chopped off her hair while doing a hand stand. She was on the arm of Zac Posen for the evening.
This is the Best and Worst Dressed of the Met Gala 2015.
Some didn't read the invitation and came naked.
L: some came to paint the town, spray paint can in hand (Katy Perry in Moschino)
R: and some took the China theme literary (Chloe Sevigny)
Claire Danes in Valentino
Kate Hudson in Michael Kors (with Michael Kors). Love the messy top bun.
Some didn't read the invitation and came naked.
L: some came to paint the town, spray paint can in hand (Katy Perry in Moschino)
R: and some took the China theme literary (Chloe Sevigny)
But SJP takes home the prize for the Worst Dressed this year in a Philip Treacy hat (that now has its own meme) and an H&M gown. Come on honey, the SITC costumes were exactly that, costumes. Not a lifelong design direction.
Uma Thurman was absolutely breathtaking in Atelier Versace. She's like fine wine - only improving with age. She is my Top Best Dressed choice.
The Best Dressed Couple is Mr. and Mrs. Clooney. Amal wore Galliano for Maison Margiela, fitted under the watchful eye of Anna Wintour. Note the bodice design - inspired by Chinese warrior armor. George is in Armani.
Katie Holmes handstand paid off - she looked fabulous in Zac Posen. But then he's a master of structure. The dress has an interesting movement, as in the skirt does not bend. They walked to the Met, I wonder if she was even able to sit down.
Now, if anyone could wear a wacky headpiece it's Cher, who took an opposite approach and stunned in an simple yet sophisticated gown by Mark Jacobs (who was her date for the evening). This was her first Met Gala. And looking like this, not the last.
Jennifer Lawrence looked rather conservative in Christian Dior, even though she was a co-host. But gorgeous none-the-less.
Kate Beckinsale was a knockout in Diane von Furstenberg. Actually, everyone DVF dressed for the evening was stunning, that must have been the best looking table. (Unlike Tory Burch, who must have thought is was a garden party and dressed everyone in country florals.)
I wonder how the food was...