Even if you didn’t get an invite to the Met Ball this year,
there was still an event for you to celebrate the Costume Institute’s new
exhibition: “Impossible Conversations: Schiaparelli and Prada” at this year.
“Waist Up / Waist Down, An Evening of Schiaparelli and Prada”
was put on last night by the College Group at the Met, and for an invitation
to this Met event, all you needed was a student id.
The Schiaparelli/Prada exhibit was closed to the public
from 7:00 to 11:00PM for the event. It let college students (with an RSVP)
exclusively view the exhibit independently and on docent-led tours, as well as sit
in on an expert panel discussion that began at 7:00.
It was a pretty great opportunity for avoiding the crowds that
the Costume Institute’s popular exhibits usually bring!
And, like the May 7th Met Ball fashion
statements were encouraged by the College Group. Event-goers heeded an optional
dress code of “Waist Up” or “Waist Down” styles inspired by Schiaparelli and
Prada and were provided with visual guidelines and inspiration on the event’s webpage.
About a thousand college age students attended; representing each of the city's art schools, as well as a cross-section of local undergraduate and graduate students pursuing various fields.
DJ Speakeasy kept the night going, with funky sets styled from the likes of Empire of the Sun and Rihanna, as did the party's catering, which served soft drinks, strawberries and light snacks to guests as they mingled outside the exhibit.
The optional dress code was a similarly successful aspect of the event. Aside viewing the Schiaparelli and Prada styles being celebrated, on display the entire evening were the creative ensembles of party-goers themselves.Student guests experimented with harem pants, sequins, pillbox hats and paper-mache platforms, among other combinations, to capture the essence of the event with their personal style.
The night was a visual celebration of Schiaparelli and Prada's eccentric styles on many levels.
SARA MORANO
SARA MORANO
