Good Reads | Planning The Alexander McQueen–Themed Met Ball

Events

How does planning the party this year compare to doing it for the first time last year? What are you glad you know this time around?
Simple things, like which gallery in the Met has cell service. Like if you really need to reach someone and you have no bars because you're in the Egyptian wing, but if you move five feet to the right you have two bars — which you learn after spending hours and hours living in the Met, which I have.

Last year's gala opened the Costume Institute's exhibit on American fashion, which was very different from the McQueen exhibit. So how does this year's party differ from last year's?
We switched rooms this year, so we're having the dinner in the Temple, which is great — there are a lot less statues to move so that's nice. Obviously décor and all those things are secret but if you buy the iPad app you can have a sneak peak as to what the décor might look like. But I can say it's very much in keeping with Alexander's aesthetic — he's done everything from gothic to extremely romantic and ethereal, so I think people will be very, very excited to see how we've interpreted his career. It's going to be very, very beautiful; last year was very simple, American, clean lines, we worked with Gap. This is much more elegant and involved.

The Cut: Vogue Special-Events Planner Sylvana Soto-Ward Discusses the Epic Alexander McQueen–Themed Met Ball.