One of the most prestigious events on the fashion calendar, the Met Ball, takes place in New York on Monday. Co-hosted by Anna Wintour and, this year, the actress Gong Li, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser is one of the most documented social events of the year, and its attendees a finely edited assembly of actors, models, designers and music stars. Tickets ($25,000 for paying guests) sold out in minutes.
The ball always takes its theme from the Costume Institute’s exhibition, and this year’s show, “China: Through the Looking Glass”, is a timely reminder of the country’s new status as the world’s largest economy and its vast commercial clout. Chinese influences were found throughout the AW15 collections. At Just Cavalli, a dragon snaked up bias-cut dresses; at Valentino, the mythical beast reappeared as a fiery bolt of colour. At Alexander McQueen, fiery red feathers transformed a cheongsam-collared crimson gown.
Did designers deliberately present “Met appropriate” gowns? “The gala is the biggest event of the year,” says stylist Erin Walsh, who dresses Sarah Jessica Parker for events. “Designers would be crazy not to be mindful of it.”