The Met Gala For 2011: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Samantha Cameron, or “SamCam” as she is affectionately known in the U.K., is one busy lady. In addition to her duties as wife of the Prime Minister, and mom, she’s also taken on the role of ambassador to the British Fashion Council. It’s in this role that the former head of Smythson and recent appointee to Vanity Fair’s Best-Dressed List arrived at the Ritz bright and early this morning (despite last night’s party at 10 Downing Street) to introduce the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s director, Thomas P. Campbell, and Costume Institute curator Andrew Bolton. The Met brass were on hand to lay out further details of the Met 2011 spring gala: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, chaired by Mr. and Mrs. François-Henri Pinault. (That Mrs. is, of course, otherwise known as Salma Hayek-Pinault.) Also in attendance were two of the ball’s co-chairs, Anna Wintour and Stella McCartney; the third, Colin Firth, is attending to awards season duties this week.

Sarah Burton, McQueen’s creative director and his right-hand woman for 14 years, was clearly emotional at the event—and understandably so. Not only was the venue the site of McQueen’s first post-graduate show, but the handful of pieces on display, including his calf-hair horned jacket and a gilded feather jacket (left), reminded everyone why McQueen was such a national treasure. SamCam gave McQueen his due gravity introducing the event: “We are so happy that one of America’s great institutions is supporting one of the U.K.’s most deeply talented designers, Alexander McQueen,” she said from the podium. Bolton, for his part, agreed wholeheartedly; McQueen, he said, was an “easy sell” for the theme, especially given the late designer’s tremendous body of work. Click at left to see more pieces from the show’s catalogue, shot by Sølve Sundsbø.

(style.com)

Such a fitting tribute!