Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala Red Carpet: Stella McCartney for All!

Stella Crazy....

Not sure why Designer Stella McCartney was such a big presence on Monday Night's Met Gala Red Carpet---Was her company a co-Sponsor? Is there a British Connection? Or most likely, it is because both Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney are part of the PPR Group. Who knows...but there were plenty of A-Listers wearing Stella McCartney at the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" Metropolitan Museum Gala this past Monday in NYC. The gowns/dresses went from 70's Disco, all-over sequined red carpet stunners to "McQueen-esque" high-low gowns. I'm not so sure what Stella McCartney's House stands for in terms of gowns, but most were very pretty....

Let's take a look:

Stella McCartney: Love the high-low silhouette, but the odd shaping and rippling at the seams, well, makes me wonder? Was it intentional? It's a bit odd. On an actress, we probably would rip it. Your thoughts?

Naomi Watts: Sooooo very Figure Skating Costume!!! Which may not be a good thing (even though I love me some Figure Skating!). The Ombre effect of the crystals is beautiful. I'm just getting a bit bored with the entire blush/nude effect on gowns. And why does she look like Mischa Barton? Just asking....

Maggie Gyllenhaal: FAB. No More. Love it. The sky-blue all-over sequin gown fits beautifully. She's gone form "Geek to Chic" in one $30,000 gown!!!!

Kate Hudson: She's pregnant and wearing a custom-made Stella McCartney gown. Because she can. Enough said. She looks radiant and pretty. I'm not so sure about the center part hair crystal detail but other than that: Very Nice Miss Kate.

Rashida Jones: Love the color and love its simplicity. Also, that "Hair Feather Wisp" is so chic Miss Rashida! Perfect length as well.

Hailee Steinfeld: Academy Award-nominated "True Grit" Actress wore a gold/nude organza applique high-low gown with mini cap sleeves. I actually really like this on her. I know many people have a extreme (bad) reaction to high-low dresses, but I think that this dress captures the youthful and fun quality of Hailee (she is only 14!), while still being elegant and sophisticated enough for the event. Also, love the shoes!

Eva Mendes: One Shoulder Disco. Look at Miss Eva. She is looking for Rudolf Nureyev and where the illegal substances are. This "Fortuny Pleated" one-shoulder purple gown with a blouson and Dolman sleeve is this side of "Go Girl!". The high-arched eyebrow look and pose, well, is better than the gown to be sure! Go Miss Mendes. The Gays approve: You WORK.

Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala Red Carpet: The Avant Garde or Avant Gauche!

Fashionista Prom: The Met Gala Red Carpet...Avant Garde or Avant Gauche??

The Fashion World is known for taking itself (sometimes) way too seriously and I for one, have been a victim of this. And this was no where more apparent than last night's Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute Gala. This is the Red Carpet where EVERYONE tries to "bring it" in terms of FASHION! Some did it right and some well...see for yourself.

Here's my Portfolio of who got "Avant Garde" Points (positive) and who got "Avant Gauche" ones (not so good!). Let's start with Miss Daphne Guinness, heiress to Guinness Beer:

Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen: Now this is how you get it right! When you are honoring someone like Alexander McQueen and your date is Hamish Bowles, what else can you do but wear a feathered Gown! Avante Garde!

Serena Williams: And this is how you do a feathered gown wrong! I know she must have been inspired by the Royal Wedding when she chose that hat, but she looks like she is going to an Easter Service at a Southern Baptist Church rather than a party honoring a Couture King! Avant Gauche!

Christina Ricci in Zac Posen: This Gown which looks like it was knit from spiderwebs is just the type of gown you would expect from Christina and her edgy/dark personality. For someone who is probably about 5 feet tall, she looks statuesque and commanding...if only she could have done something more with her hair. Avant Garde!

Beyonce in Emilio Pucci: Miss Beyonce. Miss Beyonce. I give it to you in terms of the "overall gown". Beyonce has never met a Mermaid Shape she didn't like. This is no exception. However...it's the "peek-a-boo" lace "boobie things" (sorry for the un-Fashion Terminology) that are questionable. They look like "after-thought tattoos" or something of that matter. Unfortunately, because of this, I have to rate her an "Avant Gauche".

Margherita Missoni in Missoni: I love Missoni and I am a big fan of how the House of Missoni has taken their trademark weaving technique and really kept it alive with fresh and modern RTW Collections, but this dress missed the mark...and wait....are those pieces of her dress she has left trailing on the floor?? Messsss...Avant Gauche!

Iman in Stella McCartney: Admit it...as tacky as a gold sequin, bell-bottomed jumpsuit sounds on paper, Iman is workin' it! And let's not forget, this woman is 55 years old!! Let me say it right here and now: Iman has a CURRICULUM VITAE to wear this! And NO ONE ELSE does! Except maybe Bianca Jagger. Therefore, she gets an Avant Garde! from me.

Rihanna in Stella McCartney: Raggedy Ann-Meets-Pippi Longstocking-Meets Morticia. Enough Said. Lace over nude is all the rage this season, but it is something about the combination of the lace with the single sleeve and side train (?)! along with that crazy hair that makes the entire look all wrong. Avant Gauche. For sure. (sorry Miss Rihanna, still love you!)

Shalom Harlow in Marchesa: I'm on the "Fashion Fence" on this one. Love the gown, Hate the clip-on detail in her hair. I'll leave this one up to you guys: Avant Garde or Avant Gauche? What Do You Guys Think?

Anne Dello Russo in Alexander McQueen: Italy-born Editor at Large and Creative Consultant for Vogue Japan Anna Dello Russo wore an EGG on her HEAD!!! Hello??? Avant Garde. Period. No More Questions. She's just happy someone flew her First Class from Tokyo to NYC (a $15,000 flight thank you very much!) and she got to pack this. Just sayin'.

Vogue's Met Ball 2010 Red Carpet Fashion: Best and Oh No They Didn't!

Met Ball DRAMA!
Duvet Crazy: Andre Leon Talley and Whoopi Goldberg in Chado Ralph Rucci

Last night was the Met's "American Woman: Fashioning A National Identity" Costume Institute Gala. This year’s exhibition, organized by the curator Andrew Bolton, looked at styles between 1890 and the 1940s, relying on pieces from the Brooklyn Museum’s collection like Worth gowns and gray wool walking suits. And as it has been in the past, it was a collision of Fashion and Hollywood. It has become the fashionista sister to the Academy Awards red carpet. Actresses take more risks and there are more "editorial" looks. Some things stood out: Lots of "So-and-So for The Gap" (the entire exhibition is sponsored by The Gap). We know that several US designers have collaborated with The Gap and Miss Anna Wintour is "in charge" of choosing who gets to do it-or at the very least, suggesting it (see "The September Issue"). Now I know that this silk charmeuse $10,000 bias-cut gown by Sophie Theallet (for The Gap) on Jessica Alba AIN'T going to be at my Glendale Galleria Gap Store any time soon... But it WAS , one of my favorites.
There were several "Silhouette Themes": SLITHERING and SLINKY, as seen on Iman, wearing Prada--who has just signed on as the new co-host of Bravo's "The Fashion Show" (Bye, Kelly Rowland, Hello Iman!)--as well as model-turned-actress Amber Valetta, who I thought looked very elegant in RM by Roland Mouret. There was also some BIG and BOLD statements:Anne Hathaway, in gold/nude silk tulle Valentino which was very "Dior-esque" and...Jennifer Lopez, wearing Lebanese red carpet-favorite Zuhair Murad. There were also some Tulip-shaped Gowns:Eva Mendes wore a strapless Dolce & Gabbana flower-printed gown. Some designer-and-actress collaborations tried to pay homage to the Met's "American Woman" theme, giving a nod to the late 19th Century/ early 20Th Century American Woman: Like in actress Christina Hendricks' L'Wren Scott chiffon gown and Bee Shaffer's (Anna Wintour's daughter's) Worth-like Balenciaga Edition gown.
Some of my other favorites from last night's "American Woman" Met Gala's red carpet were:
Naomi Watts , in Stella McCartney raspberry silk, one shoulder, blouson gown (with Liev Schreiber).
This was THE BEST mini-cocktail dress of the evening: Blake Lively, in Marchesa
Australian actress Melissa George in J. Mendel mustard draped silk gazar was truly beautiful.Speaking of Mustard: Stylist Extraordinaire Rachel Zoe, looked AMAZING in this Marc Jacobs velvet draped plunging-neck creation. It was modern yet still gave a subtle "I got you!" to the Met's theme. Her hair and make-up were sublime, naturally, because my good friend Joey Maalouf did it! (congrats Joey!)
I also loved this very Donna Summer-meets-Studio 54 gold lame Michael Kors jumpsuit on model Chanel Iman. This is another, very modern way, of giving red carpet. Models can usually WORK this look much more effectively than actresses.Finally, I must give a nod to the MEN. And one man stood out for me: YSL Designer Stefano Pilati, who dressed actress January Jones. But it wasn't her I was interested in, I think he looked SMASHING! If I had an extra $5,000 to spend on a tuxedo for an event such as this, THIS would be it!

Below is WWD.com video from the red carpet, Met Costume Exhibit Ball 2010: