What They Wore: Met Gala 2008
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute Gala is legendary: It’s chicer than Charlotte Gainsbourg’s closet, invites are more coveted than Chanel bags, and the attendees are able to leap tall buildings in single bound. Okay, maybe not that last part—we got a little carried away thinking about this year’s superhero theme—but all kidding aside it is the major fashion party and one of our favorite events to cover.
The fantastic fete celebrated the debut of the Met’s special summer exhibition, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, which traces the relationship between superheroes and the superstars of the fashion world. The show is comprised of nearly 60 pieces of high-concept fashion (including pieces from Balenciaga and McQueen), high-performance sportswear (like a suit Speedo created for the 2008 US Olympic swim team), and movie costumes (such as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man suit) to demonstrate the way our favorite comic book crusaders have influenced and inspired couture clothing.
Naturally the brightest stars in the fashion galaxy turned up for the superhero shindig, as well as their Hollywood counterparts. While some ladies were knocked out by this theme (not in a good way, they looked a little too kaboom!), there were many who delighted our collective eyes. Our favorite look of the evening came courtesy of supermodel (in training), Chanel Iman. The young catwalker really wowed in a whirly chartreuse 3.1 Phillip Lim dress festively tricked out with a killer bronze belt.
Other notable attendees include a goddess-like Kate Moss in a Stella McCartney gown and McCartney herself wearing an elegant satin gown in a Superman shade of blue. Jessica Stam chose an armor-like shimmering sheath by Proenza Schouler (complete with mini cape), a diamond cuff, and tough shoes for an overall warrior wonder woman effect.
Mischa Barton and Margherita Missoni both wore Missoni dresses that were neutral in color (but obviously not neutral in style) while another dynamic duo, Anja Rubik and Coco Rocha, showed up on the opposite side of the spectrum in bold and brightly patterned Pucci dresses. Diane Kruger also showed off a super smart red carpet look with her youthful silver Alberta Ferretti dress. We love how she added a saucy pop of color with fuchsia Jimmy Choo League heels.
Michelle Trachtenberg channeled her inner superwoman in navy silk jersey top and gold skirt from Rare Vintage. Her late-seventies style was accented with an oversized cuff and a carved gold Cesare Paciotti clutch. Christina Ricci stunned in pink and red Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci Haute Couture confection and Bulgari jewelry, while Joy Bryant chose a spectacular kaleidoscope print Pucci dress. We found our final fantastic look on a sublime-looking Kate Bosworth. The blonde beauty came with King Karl and wore an exceptional vintage Chanel haute couture dress and Chanel fine jewelry. Bosworth had a great beauty night as well, we’re having a total blue crush on her turquoise eye shadow—a super choice if we do say so!
The fantastic fete celebrated the debut of the Met’s special summer exhibition, Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy, which traces the relationship between superheroes and the superstars of the fashion world. The show is comprised of nearly 60 pieces of high-concept fashion (including pieces from Balenciaga and McQueen), high-performance sportswear (like a suit Speedo created for the 2008 US Olympic swim team), and movie costumes (such as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man suit) to demonstrate the way our favorite comic book crusaders have influenced and inspired couture clothing.
Naturally the brightest stars in the fashion galaxy turned up for the superhero shindig, as well as their Hollywood counterparts. While some ladies were knocked out by this theme (not in a good way, they looked a little too kaboom!), there were many who delighted our collective eyes. Our favorite look of the evening came courtesy of supermodel (in training), Chanel Iman. The young catwalker really wowed in a whirly chartreuse 3.1 Phillip Lim dress festively tricked out with a killer bronze belt.
Other notable attendees include a goddess-like Kate Moss in a Stella McCartney gown and McCartney herself wearing an elegant satin gown in a Superman shade of blue. Jessica Stam chose an armor-like shimmering sheath by Proenza Schouler (complete with mini cape), a diamond cuff, and tough shoes for an overall warrior wonder woman effect.
Mischa Barton and Margherita Missoni both wore Missoni dresses that were neutral in color (but obviously not neutral in style) while another dynamic duo, Anja Rubik and Coco Rocha, showed up on the opposite side of the spectrum in bold and brightly patterned Pucci dresses. Diane Kruger also showed off a super smart red carpet look with her youthful silver Alberta Ferretti dress. We love how she added a saucy pop of color with fuchsia Jimmy Choo League heels.
Michelle Trachtenberg channeled her inner superwoman in navy silk jersey top and gold skirt from Rare Vintage. Her late-seventies style was accented with an oversized cuff and a carved gold Cesare Paciotti clutch. Christina Ricci stunned in pink and red Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci Haute Couture confection and Bulgari jewelry, while Joy Bryant chose a spectacular kaleidoscope print Pucci dress. We found our final fantastic look on a sublime-looking Kate Bosworth. The blonde beauty came with King Karl and wore an exceptional vintage Chanel haute couture dress and Chanel fine jewelry. Bosworth had a great beauty night as well, we’re having a total blue crush on her turquoise eye shadow—a super choice if we do say so!
OMG is that anja rubik? what happened to her?! she looks like an old woman, she is soo skinny and most definitely anorexic. she is usually so young and healthy and beautiful, and now- what a mess!
Posted by: hoverboarder123 | 2008-07-27 12:06:30
Kate looks high. :[ That's all I have to say.
Posted by: Laurie | 2008-07-04 15:15:41
Kate M: She looks stunning. Undersated and chic. Jess Stam: She just ends up looking REALLLLY washed out and the colours dont work with her skin, as much as i ADORE her shoes! Chanel: She looks cute flirty and fun with fresh and cute makeup but she is definitely not the best. Anja: she looks angelic and the print works in her favour. Loving the gold chain. Magherita:Best hair and make up HANDS DOWN. she looks completely totally and utterly amazing. Her dress is fab as well. Mischa: Bleh. She is a mess. Coco: poor coco. Such a gorgeous girl but her gown is drowning her and she looks wayy to washed out. Wrong dress, wrong colours and wrong makeup choices. Diane: She looks nice. Thats all. She doesnt stand out but im soooo loving the mix n match kinda feel with her shoes. And thise iller legs! WOW! Michelle: ... looks average very cheap looking but its not bad. She looks nice. Christina: Wow look at her! As fab as she looks and as absolutely as amazing as her gown is i wouldnt say shes best. Joy: OMG WTF. Your a gorgeous girl and you could wear ANYTHING except this. You loook bad. just really bad. and finally Kate: The nights other trainwreck. That eyeshadow! What WERE you thinking! shoes, dress, bed hair and makeup...its al wrong. My favourite was def Kate Moss.
Posted by: Dani | 2008-06-29 07:38:53
Tell you a good online store! This is my favorite online store, http://www.kanaccassecret.com There are hundreds of products on it, most for women. Such as summer one-piece dresses, sexy swim suits, sexy cheap bras, cheap T-shirt, cute girl’s hoodies….. Whatever how many products you order, all of them are free shipping!
Posted by: Choice | 2008-06-13 01:17:51
Kate M: I expected something more fab, but i guess the idea here is dress understatedly and glam, and let the others do the overdressing. Chanel: Yums, quite cute, but definitely not the best Best is tied: Christina R and Gisele B MIchelle: Oh dear is she a relative of WWWD? Cheap looking outfit, she'll definitely be best dressed in some varsity Grecian-Goddess Home Couture Frat Party. Best Duo: Anja and Coco, i think they look good together, a fash-pair! Mischa: Erm hello?!?! What is she doing there? She belongs in the same party as Michelle There were soooo many better dressed people: Lake Bell (and Byrdie), New York socialites like Lisa Airan in Rodarte, the Nina Ricci clad girls etc
Posted by: LC Low | 2008-05-16 03:39:11
kate moss and anja rubik make all the others look like children. they could be in any decade, and they would eat you all for breakfast and spit out your bones. take a look at some real women.
Posted by: sarah | 2008-05-15 21:41:56
Christina was DEFINITELY the best dressed of the night. Kate Moss, Mischa Barton (ew), and Kate Bosworth all look terrible and I'm not quite sure why you put them up here...Scarlett Johansson looked great and should of been featured. And, Chanel Iman and Stella McCartney look fabulous, as expected.
Posted by: Stella | 2008-05-15 07:35:12
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Posted by: styleblogger | 2008-05-12 15:48:06
that would be "one of the few" but you get me!
Posted by: Vegan Vogue | 2008-05-10 18:02:37
Though her dress looks a bit off-kilter, Christina definitely looked the best. Katie Holmes looked great, but I'll be honest and admit that I was soooo underwhelmed. I mean, the theme was out of this world...so, why were most so boring? Ricci is one of the ONLY truly beautiful women in Hollywood. She's breathtaking...while the rest are mostly Hitler's wet dream or something. MORE DIVERSITY, SAYS THE BLACK WOMAN!
Posted by: Vegan Vogue | 2008-05-09 20:40:23
I wonder... which outfit do the guys like best?
Posted by: Jessica | 2008-05-08 23:05:35
OK THat is DEFINITELY chanel iman get ur models straight ppls. And she does look gorg in that dress except i am ot such a fan of the gold medallion belt looks a little gladiator-ish. Ummm excuse me did neone see how fab and glamorous Gisele Budchen looked?? and I do have to agree Christina Ricci does look ah-mazing and kate moss looked ethereal
Posted by: kelsey | 2008-05-08 22:50:47
That is NOT Jourdan Dunn That is Chanel Iman
Posted by: Char | 2008-05-08 18:22:00
Let us not forget how great Joy Bryant looks! Her hair cut is fabulous and not very many can pull off that Pucci Dress. Luvs it!
Posted by: Fatima4ever | 2008-05-08 15:04:38
christina ricci really nailed it with this one. anyway, I can't help but say something about the wwwd tv post above. How do they manage to make such weirdly unpleasant outfits with such expensive pieces? Everything always looks so awkward and out of place. Just sayin..
Posted by: alis | 2008-05-08 14:27:43
That's NOT Chanel Iman... It's Jourdan Dunn...
Posted by: Jessiebelle | 2008-05-08 13:13:05
Chanel looks gorgeouss!
Posted by: Grace | 2008-05-08 09:23:29
Chanel and Diane are FLAWLESS!!! www.livefdpretty.com
Posted by: Crista | 2008-05-08 02:52:41
chanel iman looks fabulous i'm shocked that you didn't post blake lively over michelle. her dress was gorgeous. check out my blog: thefashionaddiction.blogspot.com
Posted by: stephanie | 2008-05-07 22:17:34
DIANE KRUGER is to die for!! She always looks like perfection and this pick was nothing short of it. Kate looks great also...and let's not kid ourselves, Gisele (not pictured here) looked amazing...too bad her man is an a**
Posted by: Jada | 2008-05-07 21:35:55
Christina Ricci does for the second year in a row! Looked ah-mazing last year and this year. Kate Bosworth proves that just because it is vintage Chanel doesn't mean it is going to work.
Posted by: Ally | 2008-05-07 17:57:00
Kate Bosworth looked like she was trying to hard as usual. There is way to much going on in the outfit, its gross. I also really liked Diane Krugar's outfit. I HATE how you guys included michelle Trachtenberg AGAIN. she has no style whatsover and I do not understand why she is on WWWD again. everything else is nice though.
Posted by: serena | 2008-05-07 17:25:34
i LOVE LOVE LOVE chanel iman's outfit, it's so gorgeous just like her. Kate Moss also looked magnificent.
Posted by: serena | 2008-05-07 17:19:24
kate b. is also wearing pierre hardy shoes
Posted by: Celestine | 2008-05-07 15:19:58
Chanel Iman looks fantastic. I guess I'm a bit biased at a huge 3.1 fan, but I totally agree with the first place pick. Also love Christina Ricci
Posted by: Louboutin Lova | 2008-05-07 14:54:49
LOVE Chanel Iman LOVE Christina Ricci LOVE Mischa, as usual HATE Anja Rubik and Coco Rocha. I can't believe they are on here. That just brought the WWWD standard to a whole new low. ALL-TIME HATE Kate Bosworth. She looks like she threw up paisley all over her body. ...other than that, this post is great! the Met gala is a chance to display the crazy, avant-garde fashion that is rarely seen at normal events. its very refreshing!
Posted by: Claire Marie | 2008-05-07 14:45:06
I thought Christina Ricci was the only one that actually hit the superhero theme of the night and looked amazing also. There is something that I don't like and personally don't agree with about the first prize recipient's attire. Just doesn't strike me as superheroesque or even attractive. everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Posted by: Allison | 2008-05-07 13:56:58
Moss stole my heart just like she always does. I liked Stam & Kruger but I felt gowns would be more event-appropriate. I liked Trachtenberg...but the more I look at THAT the less I like it. www.RunawayGallery.com
Posted by: RunawayGallery | 2008-05-07 13:18:18
Chanel Iman, Jessica Stam and Christina Ricci all look amazing.
Posted by: Amy | 2008-05-07 13:08:48
Christina Ricci is my favorite!! She looks like a goddess
Posted by: bella | 2008-05-07 13:03:36
Eva Mendes. The color, the style, the train! She looked classic.
Posted by: E | 2008-05-07 12:22:25
Chanel Iman is rightfully the First Prize Beauty. Her look is fresh, fashion-forward, and as previously mentioned, age-appropriate. Michelle T. and C. Ricci take home first and second runners-up ribbons. As for Ms. Cokate, give me a break. Her face looks hard, worn and haggard. And that dress is so blah, blah, blah. The rest are, well, the rest...
Posted by: bell hooks | 2008-05-07 12:09:31
Chanel Iman's dress was the only one I haven't seen until now. Wow she looks stunning. The color is gorge and her skin is flawless. Oh to be young and a supermodel... www.quirkystyle.blogspot.com
Posted by: quirkystyle | 2008-05-07 12:09:09
Christina Ricci is killin it! To me, she is the one who found the best way to hit the theme dead on but still make me wish I could actually have that dress. It baffles me that people are still looking to Mischa for style cues... www.shinylittlethings.com
Posted by: shinylittlethin | 2008-05-07 11:38:36
I thought Maggie Gyllenhaal looked the best. The dress was so her!
Posted by: nana | 2008-05-07 11:35:22
kate moss takes the cake...as usual.
Posted by: th.dany | 2008-05-07 11:31:52
kate needs the first prize, she looks beautiful! x
Posted by: laura | 2008-05-07 11:15:00
I like Christina Ricci's interpretation of the theme, but no one even approaches Miss Moss, she looks gorgeous. Poor Bosworth is a hideous mess, that eyeshadow! And this picture doesn't show it, but Mischa Barton's dress is ill-fitting as well as ugly. It is literally a size 12 dress on a size 4 body.
Posted by: MEP | 2008-05-07 10:31:40
I love everybody's take on the Superhero theme. Especially Michelle and Christina. I love Kate's style, but her face and hair are looking more and more haggard. She should probably lay off the coke. But NO ONE seems to mind as long as she dresses well!
Posted by: Llew | 2008-05-07 10:25:19
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE KATE MOSS.
Posted by: Tess | 2008-05-07 10:12:03
I thought Christina Ricci's dress might be the worst, until my eye caught that gold lame number!
Posted by: shannon | 2008-05-07 08:40:47
Chanel Iman *does* look the best, though all of them look pretty fierce, as always at the Gala. "Looks that unique and intentive belond on the runway, not in real life. " Inventive and belong, presumably? Since when does uniqueness and inventiveness not belong in "real life"? Girl, please.
Posted by: Aitch | 2008-05-07 08:36:04
Just have to show my love for Chanel Iman. Not only is her makeup the freshest, some others look pale, but she has a dress that totally suits her personality and age. SHe killed. The big rosette looking things are fantastic! Michelle's outfit, though simple and elegant, makes her look pretty matronly. Kate, pretty and youthful as always.
Posted by: smartypanties | 2008-05-07 06:16:35
Loving the kaldiscope patterns, but I think think that the colour pallete should be neutrual. That said, Kate looks gorgeous though in her chanel. I'm sure of her name, but the tanned girl with blond hair looks GORGEOUS. Love the dress. Also, love Mischa and Margarita's dress too. But Chanel Iman, I have to say doesn't really work or me. Looks that unique and intentive belond on the runway, not in real life.
Posted by: badhairday | 2008-05-07 05:52:27
I thought Diane Kruger looks amazing, she has legs to die for! Pretty much all women looked fantastic, except for Joy Bryant. Could I say WTF?
Posted by: Allie | 2008-05-07 05:23:57
how can you say chanel iman is the best dressed? she looks like she's wearing a banana cream pie...margherita missoni looks stunning as per usual...visit my blog myohmygirl.blogspot.com
Posted by: myohmy | 2008-05-07 04:48:32
We couldn't agree more about Chanel IMAN - gorgeous! She's tops at http://fashionintelligentsia.wordpress.com/
Posted by: FashionIntellig | 2008-05-07 03:47:19
Chanel Iman? Really? I mean, I think she looks good here and fits in with the theme... but out of all the girls you picked out I would have gone for Christina Ricci. She looks in theme and looks fabulous. She looks very Wonder Woman chic to me.
Posted by: eye | 2008-05-07 03:40:05
yeah I totally agree with S. Mischa's style has slipped a lot, she used to have great style. maybe it's her stylist rachel zoe, whose latest creations haven't been like they used to.
Posted by: Kate Monique | 2008-05-07 03:27:14
WOW! christina ricci DOES look amazing, and i kind of love joy bryants pucci number and her fringey bob. everyone on this page is so fabulous. top row and bottom row are my favourite
Posted by: | 2008-05-07 03:14:52
ricci is by far the best dressed actress for me. model wise, chanel iman though it hurts me to admit, she does look amazing. Katie: I believe its Jessica Stam
Posted by: plump | 2008-05-07 02:38:42
im not sure who the second girl is on the top row, but i LOVE her shoes! anyone know who they are by? Thanks!
Posted by: Katie | 2008-05-07 02:30:19
Okay, is it just me, or is it that over the last year mischa barton has lost her incredibly good sense of fashion? These days she just looks like a hippie... She used to be in my top 5 fashion inspirations!
Posted by: s. | 2008-05-07 02:11:05
Oh so many stunning dresses this year! But you didn't include the best of all, Katie Holmes! She looked divine in that vintage red sequined valentino--and those killer bright blue pumps! Oh and the newly enganged Scarlett Johansson looked like a perfectly natural, but glamorous princess! Ah these gowns are even better than oscar season...
Posted by: bella | 2008-05-07 02:08:16