If you were lucky enough to live through the Vreeland/Hoving
era of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, chances are you have
incredible memories of the exhibits mounted by the legendary Mrs. Vreeland. Oddly,
much like today the idea was to “democratize” the museum in a way that
heretofore was a stuffy and stodgy and rather intimidating institution.
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Once Mrs. Vreeland came along there was the “opening night”
event which occurred the evening before ach show was to open to the public. The
event was a dinner which was reserved and correctly deemed one of the most
important social events on the social calendar. The evening was the first Monday
in December but aside from the royalty of every conceivable nature that
attended with the rich and more than socially acceptable, there was an opportunity
after dinner for the “younger set” including an endless supply of new or
unrecognized designers who could partake in the festivities and show off their
latest creations.
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Yes, it was absolutely a time when the post dinner event
became the photo op of the winter season. The reality was that it showed off
the creativity of those who weren’t financially blessed and to so many it was
an evening of unmatched social significance. Best of all it was a helluva good
time … disco in the entrance of the Met ... twirling drag queens , models,
designers (known and unknown) wannabes and just about anyone who could muster
up $50 bucks for the privilege of attending. People did not dress thematically…
they dress dramatically... maximum attention or if with a designer, the best
they could offer to show off their talents.
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Last night was an event that has morphed into a sort of mega
photo op for a small amount of A list celebrities and donors and a huge cast of
B, C, D and lesser list of performers who think they are attending Halloween in
May. Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the
Catholic Imagination might well be a spectacular exhibition and if so, it
deserves far more than a clown bus of, why
is she here and WTF is she wearing group of primarily 20 or 30
somethings who don’t even have a clue about what the show is about and if asked
my guess is wouldn’t have a clue the meaning of the word liturgical or what a
miter is. So, instead of an event where the cream of the crop gathered, you get
a clown train of fashion Grammy wannabes, models and fashion freaks all
preening for their “moment” and lest us forget wearing a gown with a train!
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Yes, times have changed and yes I have certainly gotten older
but the memories of attending those events have aged well and remained quite vivid
for as Hoving wrote... When Mummies Danced
and the Met was a rockin! Now you have
a case of narcissism overload balanced with a heavy donor list... most of them
stayed away from the circus of the so
called stars… so Missy you got your name
plastered on the door undeservedly so and you are surely true to yourself in
that everything you touch turns to mediocrity and shit.
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