Anna Wintour shimmied up the steps at the Met Gala last night in a sparkly custom Chanel Couture dress to take her perch at the top, where she would greet everyone she had invited inside the ball. This moment may be as nerve-racking for some guests as walking up the red carpet in front of all those cameras in gowns that are supposed to be (but might not actually be) ultrafabulous and great-looking. So, what is it like having a moment of awkwardness with Anna at THE best red-carpet event of the year? Some accounts:
• When Daphne Guinness got to her, Anna asked, “How was the window?” referring to the clothes-changing Guinness had performed, for lack of a better term, in the Barneys windows on Madison Avenue earlier. Pacey Joshua Jackson felt like his moment with Anna was better than usual this year. “It’s like being received by the Queen,” he said. “She actually made eye contact with me so I feel like I’m moving up in the world.” [WSJ]
• Marc Jacobs told Vogue’s William Norwich in the foyer post–red carpet that he wore a kilt because Anna Wintour told him to. [Vogue.com]
• Cathy Horyn found better things to do than lollygag in the queen’s presence, writing, “Anna Wintour and Colin Firth — the actor who played King George VI — were standing at the top of the stairs, along with about 20 reporters and public relations people. I didn’t see any reason to hang around there so I went into the exhibit, which is dedicated to Alexander McQueen.” [On the Runway/NYT]