The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion At Met Gala 2009

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Last night it was all about the Model as Muse. Embodying Fashion but the trick is that even if some played the sure value with Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Versace and so on, there weren’t many pointing in the good fashion direction.

Of course, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala started on a firm wrong foot in 2009: Azzedine Alaia’s dissing was a heavy coup on Fashion. But there’s much to learn about the Alaia affair that we may not ever be aware of. The truth (as seen from an outside, shallow point of view) is that Alaia’s creations should have been part of the exhibition and Naomi, Linda and Stephanie Seymour should have participated to the opening gala (they pulled out because of the Alaia incident). Saddened, I leave this regrettable mistake behind and get to the point. The Model point. (the story continues right after the jump with more pictures!)

Iman Lauren Hutton Debbie Harry Met Gala 2009

Iman, every inch the muse the Fashion World deserves wears a gorgeous ivory dress by Donna Karan (Ebony and Ivory… go together in perfect harmony! Lalalaaa). Lauren Hutton’s Michael Kors dress is as close to perfection as humanly possible! She’s incredible! Debbie Harry forgot to take off her pajamas. Oh, they’re Louis Vuitton? Well, I guess that makes it alright. It was passed her bedtime anyway!

Yasmin LeBon Liz Hurley Nadja Auermann Met 2009

Yasmin LeBon’s Christopher Kane dress has a cheap feeling to it (the shoes don’t belong to Met’s Red Carpet!). Elizabeth Hurley’s Elie Saab Couture pale peach dress is simply beyond words! I’m so happy she left all those close-to-the-body dresses she’s so keen on wearing with every formal occasion she gets! (and my, does she look pregnant!) Nadja Auermann’s extraterrestrial Lanvin makes me long for Tilda. Where is Tilda, anyway? Missed her controversial ways! (and she wears Lanvin ten times better than Nadja!)

Claudia Schiffer Shalom Erin Wasson Met 2009

Claudia Schiffer’s Atelier Versace looks like a spider web but oh, what a beautiful spider web that is! And how she wears it beautifully! A special ugly-mention goes to Shalom Harlow. Otherwise known as a drop-dead-gorgeous woman, now the bearer of a ginormous black plastic bag! Someone should really investigate this Fashion Crime! Erin Wasson in black Phi outfit looks like a biker-cricket without the bike.

Eva Herzigova Tyra Tatjana Helena Met 2009

Eva Herzigova’s Dolce & Gabbana dress would go better on Scarlett Johansson. And that’s not a compliment. For neither. (I loooove the sandals, regardless of the outrageous similarity between Eva’s dress and ScarJo’s last year’s Met dress) Tyra, Badgley and Mischka is a no-go for you! And that French patisserie hairdo? Absolutely not! Tatjana Patitz was really uninspired when she went for that Carolina Herrera dress! I first thought she was Meryl Streep… Helena Christensen’s Zac Posen “Vogue” dress was inspired by some average dress from the Chinese market. I’m sure of it! (not that there was something wrong with the Chinese market, but I had higher expectations from both Zac Posen and Helena!)

Alek Amber Liya Carmen Met 2009

Alek Wek is pink-gorgeous. Amber Valletta is eyes-hurtin-yellow and that James Galanos doesn’t fit her. Nor does that pulled back hair. In short, Amber looks like a bat. An electric yellow bat! Liya Kebede looks good. Could have done so much better! Carmen Kass looks like a younger Tilda. Michael Kors’ balloon lbd could serve her properly in case there’s some jumping from an airplane involved!

Milla Natasha Sasha Jessica Raquel Met2009

Milla Jovovich’s Marni mustard dress looks strange. Almost like an old curtain but so suited for Milla! Natalia Vodianova’s pink Fortuny dress is frumpy. Ugly, too pink, too long, too short to be long, oh, and did I mention ugly? And another one: Sasha Pivovarova looks glamorous. For a stripper! Wearing Giambattista Valli, with blond-gray hair, she looks anywhere near 60 years-old! Jessica Stam looks like a statue. A Rodarte statue. Model-perfect. Raquel Zimmermann should mos def change her hair color. Why not style it electric blue, like that disco Proenza Schouler dress she’s wearing?

Agyness Lara Bee Daria Karolina Met 2009

Agyness Deyn, exactly how old are you? That Burberry Prorsum dress does no justice to your tender age and your make up artist has a serious color blindness condition! Lara Stone looks like a modern cave-girl wearing that silver Alexander Wang! Bee Shaffer looks ordinary and uncomfortable in that blue Nina Ricci dress. Daria Werbowy. Black Balmain mini dress. Should be great. But it’s not. It’s just ordinary. With a plunging neckline. Karolina Kurkova’s Richard Chai lbd looks alright. Average.

Karen Lily Coco Doutzen Met 2009

Karen Elson portraying the undead, wearing Chanel. Lily Donaldson proudly wears that black Narciso Rodriguez dress. It’s not her fault the dress looks like a shimmery potato sack, Lily still parades it wonderfully! Coco Rocha looks like a snake with bad hair day. Isaac Mizrahi’s golden dress is beautiful. But matching it with Coco’s hairdo (and color) was a bad idea. Doutzen Kroes, charming on her own. Paired with Phillip Lim’s shimmery dress equals cheap thrill.

Chanel Miranda Arlenis Met Gala 2009

Luckily we still have Chanel Iman and her perfect Zac Posen dress! Oh, and Miranda Kerr impeccably wearing Jil Sander! Adding some more positivity with Arlenis Sosa and her silver Alberta Ferretti.
How about your side of the story? Which model have I left out? (and what was she wearing?) Don’t forget about The Immaculate Chanel Snake Anna Wintour and ALT, the Wizard of Ferocioz! (photos via 1, 2, 3)

Anna Wintour ALT Met Gala 2009

6 comments

#1 Ellington on 05.06.09 at 6:12 am

I have to say that I love Alek Wek’s dress and how she looks in it. Also Chanel Iman looks stellar, as does Lauren Hutton, Mila Jovoich, and Anna Wintour. But I have to say that a lot of the women in the photos do not look as great as I would hope.
ALT is simply alarming!
Yes I miss Tilda Swinton, she should have been there and if she was she would have been Swintastic!!! : )

#2 Adriana on 05.06.09 at 6:32 am

Ha, there he is the most hideous dressed person of the event: Mr. André Leon Talley. I just wrote at deka’s blog that this man should not say or judge another woman again before he works on his own “huge” problems. Or something like that…

That tacky animal print carpet hurt my eyes. It’s very trailer trash. I still can’t believe it. Or was Anna thinking, looking like a wooden doll, it matched nice with that black/white Chanel? Ugh….

I’ve searched the web why Azzedine Alaia wasn’t involved. Why? Naomi has lived with him and was his muse. I do remember coverage of these two. Loved that back then. Some people also suggest that Naomi, Linda and Stephanie were “jealous at Kate”? Christy had a good reason she had to pull out because she’s working on a film to support health cases. Ah, I guess everyone knows about this facts? It was strange that the Supers were not all there at this event. And where was a muse like Jerry Hall? Why wasn’t she there? Now she deserves applaud and attention! Good grief…..
Since some people were really freak-ish it would even have been fun if Janice Dickinson would have been there too.

Natalia’s “frumpy” Fortuny dress (I liked it) ruined her evening. Some drunk party-goer stepped on her hem and the vintage dress which was 7 years a present by her husband brought her to tears as I’ve read and seen on Style.com

We women….sorry Kpriss, Debbie looked hideous including the nip/tucks, I couldn’t believe my eyes….she has past her bed time but she’s the same age as Lauren Hutton (whom I adore) and some more ladies and men….ahem….I hate how she looked but I’ve such a weak spot for Debbie. So dont “Rip Her To Shreds”!! Huh, have you seen your fave (I also like her a lot) Rachel Weisz?? Argghhh…

That “spider dress” is gorgeous but alas I think Claudia looks too dull for it….Karen and Jack should have been showed together, I loved their kind of goth look, but as a couple! Doutzen! She was on Dutch tv last week (with bf, such a cutie) and she looked 10 times better ad prettier than in this red light district dress. My god, a lot of these “stylish” women looked like they were men hunting. Nothing wrong with that at times but this was a huge stylish event…..much fuss about it et al….sighs….And that must be Agyness’ much older sister? Together with Twiggy they looked hilarious! Why was Winona Ryder there? Looking so mediocre and hopefully no one missed some off their jewelry.

You left out in my view? Oluchi Onweagba, she looked like an African Queen. She was really dressed for a ball! She wore Oscar de la Renta, not the most popular designer at the moment I believe because of his remarks on MObama but Oluchi looked great.
And ehmm…Hilary Swank: horrible, Leighton Meester both to poke fun about. Tom Ford! Because he has used much more than that “tiny bit to not to frown botox” as he recommended not that long ago.
Ashley Olson in The Row, simple but stylish and to show how different twin sisters can be.
Catherine McNeil in white Roland Mouret: gorgeous and fun! Sessilee Lopez in Zac Posen, colourful stylish. Kristen McMenamy looking like a heavenly white ghost with Julien d’Ys who was dressed to attend a rock concert afterwards. Carmen Dell’Orefice because she deserves it though I didn’t like her dress and certainly not on that carpet!! And……I need some coffee now…..

Thank you Style.com and I’m so very happy you can’t see me in my frumpy house-wear feeling ill drinking some coffee at my kitchen table while declaring “Oh my god, what a fashion freak show this was”!

#3 Adriana on 05.06.09 at 6:34 am

LOL! Ellington typed at the same time as me and I got carried away but what’s new?

#4 Sal on 05.06.09 at 7:34 am

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Debbie Harry look so radiant!

#5 Hayley on 06.03.09 at 9:17 am

Daria Werbowy. Black Balmain mini dress. Should be great. But it’s not. It’s just ordinary. With a plunging neckline.

well it may be ordinary but its alot more outgoing and beautiful than what we see in the real world, with regular people.
Shes gorg.
her outfits gorg.
i like her.

#6 Sabatu on 07.24.10 at 1:57 am

everyone is looking fabulous and to think there are fashionistas who blaspheme Dame Wintour….just goes to show not everyone is loyeal to the fashion inherency but then again claims do not mean actuality…..and Daria is f***g hot in that dress i mean seriously!

Supermodels are the celebrities who will forever hold the ultimate standard!

Dame Anna Wintour and all Vogue team good job on a fabulous event!

Fashion Whore!

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