By Erin Moonyeen Haley
It was a night of celestial bliss as the stars turned out in force for the 11th annual LACMA Art + Film Gala. Elegance was the evening’s leitmotif, with sequins and Gucci, (and sometimes a cocktail mix of the two) as a consistent undercurrent. Sponsored by Gucci, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosted the event on November 5th in honor of those on the vanguard of creativity and ingenuity throughout the industry. Co-chaired by Leonardo di Caprio and Eva Chow, (LACMA board member and recently christened 'Culture Queen of Los Angles'), the event put artistry and daredevilry at the forefront, a philosophy punctuated by a closing musical number by none other than Sir Elton John.
Among the honorees were Helen Pashgian, an artist known for her work with industrial materials, and whose process is dissected and investigated in the short documentary Helen Pashgian: Transcending the Materials.
(Photo courtesy ofThe Los Angeles Times)
South Korean film director, Park Chan-wook was also honored that night. While his copious films have been credited with putting South Korea on the cinematic map, he is also known for subverting such cliches as the 'detective' trope and for engaging audiences and critics with equal aplomb.
(Photo courtesy of Vogue)
Though some stars wore Yves Saint Laurent and Anthony Vaccarello, Gucci was the dominant designer, creating a consistent display of class and polish, with understated silhouettes and accented necklines. Jewelry was minimalistic, creating a fresh-faced, uncluttered ambiance that centered the outfit.
Paris Hilton, Heidi Klum and Stella Maxwell all got leggy in satin and sequined numbers with careful slits that flaunted as much or as little of thigh as deemed necessary.
Colorwise, green seemed to dominate the oceanic stretch of carpet, with stars like Thuso Mbedu wearing seagreen sheer underlayers topped with an emerald mermaid-style bralette and a siren's skirt. Julia Garner, (also in Gucci), stunned in a parakeet-green Art Deco number with black sequined shoulders that screamed Dietrich, leaving Lindsey Vonn to look striking in a double-breasted, aqua-green pinstripe suit.
While Sandra Oh channeled florals with three-dimensional flourishes flitting about her like errant faeries, Mariacarlo Boscono gave off a seductive superheroine vibes thanks to knee-high red boots. Meanwhile, Jodi Turner-Smith was simply resplendent as she reincarnated the flapper look of a girl determined to encourage the fashion world to become tipsy on Egyptology in the wake of King Tut's excavation.
Carey Mulligan was a chandelier incarnate in drapes of silver and black tassels and beads. Salma Hayek stunned, (as always), in an ombre gown that scintillated from mint to seafoam and ending in a soft peach. Sydney Sweeny was an artful ballerina in pompoms of cotton-candy pink.
For actress-director Olivia Wilde, siren Janelle Monáe and singer Addison Rae, nothing said 'elegance' better than sequins and scintillations of shine.
In tuxedos ranging from bronze to black to sapphire, actors didn't shirk from the idea of glam either, delivering glitz every step of the way.
Photos Courtesy of Australian Vogue
