Hamish and Marc kiss hello while Anna smiles. All pics for MDC/Betty.
With the recession on everyone’s mind and the general fashion mood veering towards dour, the Met’s ‘Model As Muse’ exhibition is a refreshingly escapist delight that gives us a moment to enjoy the things that made us love fashion in the first place. To quote the buoyant words of Suzy Menkes, we need events like this to cheer us up when the chips are down. Beauty, elegance and inspiration reign supreme throughout the show that features the premiere models of each era in their element. Rather than a being a time capsule the show is crafted like a voyage throughout fashion’s history from the early 00s to the mid nineties. Academy Award winning production designer John Myhre’s sets, combined with hundreds of images from magazines, combine to tell a story that is fascinating even for those who do not know much about the faces behind the images. When asked what he hoped for when sponsoring the event, designer Marc Jacobs said simply that he hoped for something lively. With the impressive showing and tonight’s post-war club themed party sure to be a hit, it appears that Marc has gotten his wish. (Click below for more pictures)
Marc and Anna chat before the remarks.
Anna has a word with Suzy Menkes.
Getting ready for the remarks.
Anna and Marc.
Co-curators Harold Koda and Kohle Yohannan
The Met’s new director Thomas Campbell with Anna and Marc.
Hair maestro Julien d’Ys explains the hair to Hamish Bowles.
The entrance of the exhibit; recreating Dovima by Avedon.
Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn by Irving Penn.
The early days of the supermodel, the first exhibit.
Carmen dell’Orefice by Erwin Blumenfeld, Vogue 1947.
Jean Shrimpton by David Bailey, 1965, starts the wall of iconic 60’s photographs.
Donyale Luna by David Bailey and Twiggy by Richard Avedon
Costumes from Qui etes-vous, Polly Maggoo?
Dorothea McGowan in Qui etes-vous…. Â Doesn’t she look like Daria Werbowy mixed with Ali Stephens, here?
Paco Rabanne dress.
60’s dresses.
The 70’s. Cheryl Tiegs and Rene Russo by Helmut Newton.
Beverly Johnson, still as beautiful as ever next to one of her many covers.
Brooke Shields.
Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue, 1992.
Hamish fielding questions in front of the Demarchelier supermodels.
Enormous video of George Michael’s ‘Freedom’ playing. Here Christy Turlington’s expressive eyes.
Naomi for Vogue Italia, Steven Klein, 1988. American Vogue , Patrick Demarchelier, 1989.
Annie Leibovitz, American Vogue 1999. Left side.
Right side.
The 90’s room, vibrantly grunged up by Julien d’Ys’ graffiti and artwork.
Supermodel graffiti
90’s photos
The future of the supermodel.
Final exhibits: Galliano’s Dior dresses across from….
Marc Jacob’s nurses for Louis Vuitton.
Before there was any street style blog, there was the iconic Bill Cunningham documenting for the NY Times.
The store with a plethora of model composites, a fitting end to a fabulous exhibition!
