Dear Gossips,
I hate it when people call it the “MET Ball”. It’s probably an irrational gripe. But we all have our personal style guides. And for me, the right way to say it is the MET Gala. And whenever I hear it referred to as the “MET Ball” my inner eyes roll, the way they roll when someone uses “anyways” instead of “anyway”. It’s ANYWAY.
Anyway, now that that’s out of the way, the MET Gala 2016. As expected, there was SO MUCH METAL. Which, I guess, is how most people interpreted the theme? The theme for this year was Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology. So the vast majority decided to dress up like robot mannequins. What do you do when you know that everyone will be dressing up like robot mannequins? Do you, too, dress up like a robot mannequin, or do you apply a different interpretation to the theme? Similarly, how do you approach a fashion roundup when it ended up being a parade of tin-dresses? What’s the criteria here?
Let’s check in with the actual exhibit at the Costume Institute for their specific description of the gallery:
The Costume Institute's spring 2016 exhibition…will explore how fashion designers are reconciling the handmade and the machine-made in the creation of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear. The exhibition will address the founding of the haute couture in the 19th century, when the sewing machine was invented, and the emergence of a distinction between the hand (manus) and the machine (machina) at the onset of mass production. It will explore this ongoing dichotomy, in which hand and machine are presented as discordant tools in the creative process, and question the relationship and distinction between haute couture and ready-to-wear (and) will present a series of case studies to unravel the hand/machine conundrum. At the center will be an installation of toiles and prototypes presented as garments in the making or "monuments to ideas." Emanating from this presentation will be a series of rooms based on traditional métiers of the haute couture, including embroidery, featherwork, artificial flowers, pleating, lacework, and leatherwork, which will be presented alongside versions that incorporate innovative processes, such as 3D printing, computer modeling, bonding and laminating, laser cutting, and ultrasonic welding. A room dedicated to the ateliers of tailoring and dressmaking will reflect the traditional division of a maison de couture.
I’m not reading the Jetsons from this, are you? What I’m reading is tradition vs innovation. Classic vs modern. Old school vs new jack.
So just because someone decided to come in silver doesn’t mean they met the standard. And if someone didn’t come wearing aluminum, it doesn’t mean they failed either. With that in mind, shall we proceed with the dress porn? There was good porn and there was sh-t porn. There was also why-didn’t-you-stay-the-f*ck-home? porn. We’ll get to her eventually. But let’s start with the night’s host, Anna Wintour in Chanel.
I can’t lie. I love this dress. It might be my favourite of all her MET Gala dresses. And in this case, while presiding over the evening, I think she hit it. Because it looks like it could be vintage in its craftsmanship but also technology-assisted in the detail.
As always, fashion is an argument. So please, I want you to yell at me via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @laineygossip.
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
PS. We are going heavy today. Like at least 25 posts, if not more. So please scroll down, click VIEW OLDER to get caught up on all the articles. FYI Rachel McAdams went first.
