MOCA : Skin + Bones : Rufus

Published in TheTripwire.com on Nov 21, 2006

Last night, I went to the "Skin & Bones Exhibit and Gala Event" at the Geffen Contemporary @ MOCA in Little Tokyo (Downtown L.A.) and brought the close-to-married Carrie (congrats!!). Aside from us gals, Ashton & Demi, Eva Mendes, Andrew Taylor, Debi Mazar, Isaiah Washington, Leonard Nimoy, Michael York, Michele Hicks, and Rachel Griffiths, among others were also in attendance. (As photog'd by Wire Image.) The invitation came and included valet parking and a warning of the attire being fashion forward. Being more fashion backward than forward - I decided that my new turtleneck dress, webbed tights by Betsy Johnson, and vintage black boots with silver accents (seen previously worn by me at CMJ - Day 4) would do. I didn't want to over dress or look like a thrift shop (per usual) and this was a safe bet. Upon getting there I noticed that some people went for semi-formal, and some went couture. I was reminded that couture doesn't mean that it looks good on everyone. I only had one drink from the open bar (why only one?!?!) and smoked the majority of the time outdoors, sitting on a compressed batch of jeans - industrially tied together like it was recycled newspaper - made into seats for the patio. (Was very cute - wish I photographed them.) I only went inside when Rufus played. He was on a rotating platform, which made him look a bit like a fancy dessert atop a lazy susan. Rufus only played four songs either because the event was running late, or because only four songs were required of him. (Songs: Maker Makes, Beauty Mark, Vibrate, and [song I can't recall at the moment].)
The MisShapes DJed as soon as Rufus was done, only to spin exit music for the fancy pants guests... There were a few fashion designers there, and a few artists (both aspiring and established) - I wish that John Knuth was with us since he's usually the one capable of pointing out notables in the art world.
What was most interesting were the individual interpretations on "fashion forward." For some, it was a slight revision to what Gwen Stefani wore during her pregnancy (platinum hair, red lipstick, animal print accented with red) to a comforter cut down the middle - worn backwards with knots; a copy of what Ugly Betty wore to the fancy restaurant in the hotel she was reviewing in Season 1, Episode 7 titled "After Hours" to a look I like to call Soccer Mom dressed for a Museum Gala event but still looks like a Soccer Mom. The men, for the most part and per usual, played it safe with suits colored black and white. You'd think it would be different - especially for a gala for fashion and architecture with a gay icon as the musical star of the evening. But I suppose we need some way of separating gay from straight, no?
At the end of the event - they handed out these tiny dessert plates with chocolates. The plate reads:
"November 18, 2006
Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture
A white Belgian praline, known as a 'mamon,' on a white saucer; a memento of your evening with MOCA is offered by Maison Martin Megiela."
As the servers grew tired of carrying these trays - due to the refusal of some people of their mementos. We ended up with at least four of these tiny plates. (A set!)
They also handed us these art magazine-books called VISIONAIRE 37 VREELAND MEMOS - presented in a canvas file-folder shaped box - a compilation of memos by Diana Vreeland who was a columnist at Harper's Bazaar starting in 1937, then EIC of Vogue in 1962-1971, then consultant to the costume institute of the of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She passed in 1989. As written by Harold Koda in the back of this book, "Once described by Truman Capote as looking something like an exotic bird tossed out of the jungle, Diana Vreeland, with her toucan profile, epitomized the sophisticated French notion of the bella laide, someone of physical plaiinness but irresistible allure. Her work and her life attested to the seductive and transfiguring power of style."
All in all, a really great Gala full of eye candy (celebrity and non) and inspired by art, head to toe.

Here's more pictures, this time by Getty Images.
Style.com

Gossip:
Style.com
Eonline.com
Popsugar
Socialite's Life
And even though I watched Demi & Ashton leave long before Rufus did: An L.A. Weekly Blog

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Only a few websites featured this information, and GayOT.com provided the best info:

HAUTE COUTURE TO HAUTE CONSTRUCTION
Fashion and Architecture Intersect
"Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture" is the first major museum exhibition devoted to the extensive similarities between architecture and fashion design.
To celebrate this long-awaited event (it took more than six years to develop the exhibit as well as the accompanying publication), an opening night fête will take place Nov. 18 at MOCA Grand Avenue. Attendees of the fundraising event will be treated to a preview of the collection along with a one-of-a-kind installation by break-out architect designers Benjamin Ball and Gaston Rogues as well as the sounds of DJ Tri of The MisShapes spinning in the background. The event’s high point will be a solo performance by Rufus Wainwright. Individual tickets are $600; table packages range from $10,000 to $50,000. The evening begins at 6 p.m.
The exhibit showcases the works of 46 of today’s most creative fashion designers and architects including Alexander McQueen, Narcisco Rodriguez, Shigeru Ban, Preston Scott Cohen and Bernard Tschumi. More than 300 objects will represent these artisans, many of the works having never been exhibited in the U.S. “Skin + Bones” is accompanied by a comprehensive full-color publication with written entries on each of the architects and designers as well as more than 500 illustrations.
When: Nov. 19, 2006-Mar. 5, 2007. Monday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday-Wednesday, closed; Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m.-6 6p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Where: MOCA, 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.
Admission: $8 general admission; $5 students with id and seniors 65 and older; free to children under 12 years old. Free every Thursday from 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Information: 213-626-6222, www.moca.org.