Walking through the displays of ugly-chic dresses and slightly surreal designs in a new Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition that compares the designers Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, many guests at this year’s ultimate fashion gala on Monday night observed some surprising similarities between two women whose work is separated by half a century.
At Met’s Fashion Benefit, Stars Honor Two Designers
By ERIC WILSON
Published: May 7, 2012
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“I loved the play of the two of them together,” said Tom Ford, arriving at the Costume Institute gala with the model Chanel Iman, who wore a dress made of pheasant feathers molded to her body. “It was amazing how hard it was to differentiate some of the pieces.”
Best not mention that to Mrs. Prada, one of the most influential female designers in recent history, who initially rebuffed the museum’s plans to mount an exhibition that compared her to Schiaparelli, who died in 1973. Mrs. Prada said in many interviews about the show that she had never been inspired by the work of her predecessor.
“Well,” Mr. Ford said, “Coco Chanel said that creativity is the art of concealing your sources.”
Fashion snap.
Mrs. Prada, in an embroidered ivory tunic and trousers, evening pants being a big look of the night, avoided most interviews. At one point, there was talk that she might not come. After a lengthy chat over cocktails with the actor James Franco and the artist Marina Abramovic, she was asked if she was satisfied with the show.
“Yes, but it’s too late,” she said, meaning for questions.
Oh, but everyone else wanted to talk, especially the celebrities and superstar athletes who dominated the guest list. Tim Tebow was there wearing Ralph Lauren and being sweet to all of the women who approached him, including one who asked Mr. Tebow whom he was standing next to.
“Well, that’s Tom Brady,” Mr. Tebow said.
Over there was Beyoncé, in a gown that was sheer but beaded at the same time. Turn around and it was Cate Blanchett in a concoction of black feathers by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. And just what could Gwyneth Paltrow be talking about for so long with Kanye West?
Oh, hello, Mick Jagger. What are you wearing?
“My creation,” Mr. Jagger said, affecting some sort of grand accent that suggested that he had been overcome by the beauty of the exhibition. “I am wear-ing my cray-ya-tion! All this dee-zi-yen is mii-yen!”
Moving on, Marc Jacobs seemed sane by comparison. He wore a see-through dress made of black lace, with black socks and white boxer briefs that were perfectly visible. “Brooks Brothers, I think,” he said.
Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor and a chairwoman of the event who oversaw every detail, wore a white Prada dress with embroidered silver stones in the shape of a lobster, a tribute to a famous Schiaparelli design made in collaboration with Salvador Dalí.
Many guests wore elaborate or bizarre dresses in honor of Schiaparelli, who once made a hat from an upside-down shoe. One guest had a Coca-Cola bottle on her head; another, Linda Fargo, the fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman, wore a bejeweled cape that would have been the envy of Elvis. And the actress Emma Stone, a guest of the designer Alber Elbaz of Lanvin, wore a short pink dress made of rainproof plastic.
Carey Mulligan, the actress who, as a co-chairwoman, stood in a receiving line greeting 800 guests, seemed to enjoy the attention paid to her dress, a stiff gold halter made of shiny gold paillettes, also by Prada.
“Everybody told me this was going to be boring,” Ms. Mulligan said. “But I had the best time.”