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The good thing about having an event the night after the Met gala is that everyone is still in town. The bad part is that the “Party of the Year” can leave even the most devoted night owl a little worse for wear. “I was nervous people would be hungover today,” Marni’s Consuelo Castiglioni said at her Upper East Side store opening. “But I think everyone looks great.” Thakoon Panichgul admitted he wasn’t feeling quite 100 percent, but he brought along a pick-me-up: his new Yorkshire terrier/Chihuahua mix puppy, Stevie (after Stevie Nicks).

Around the corner on Madison, Brit jewelry designer Solange Azagury-Partridge celebrated her own new boutique. “It’s like a jewel box,” she said, pointing out the black velvet walls, the gilded display cases, and the light-up Swarovski crystals, which form constellations on the ceiling. The decor wasn’t the only thing that was glittering. Several of the guests wore Azagury-Partridge’s diamond “Witchy” rings, so called because that is the jeweler’s nickname. “She’s a good witch,” said her pal, the actress Rachel Weisz. Toward the end of the fête, things got steamy in the jewel box, prompting Yasmin LeBon and current Solange campaign girl Susie Bick, among others, to spill out onto the sidewalk. Which was convenient: It was already time to head to the post-party dinner a few blocks up the street at the Carlyle’s Bemelmans bar, where Weisz soon ditched her heels and joined in some high-energy group dancing.

—Derek Blasberg

Apparel Software 

For those not lucky enough to score an invitation to the Met ball, there are always the more democratic after-parties. Well, they’re not that democratic, but we digress. Two of the biggest draws this year were Margherita Missoni’s fête for OrphanAid Africa at 1 Oak in Chelsea and Rodarte’s shindig at the SubMercer.

Missoni’s party started before Kanye West’s Costume Institute performance even ended, which is why Eugenie Niarchos, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, and Tatiana Santo Domingo were ready and waiting when their pals Arlenis Sosa and Joy Bryant finally made it the 60-something blocks south. Only Missoni took the time to change out of her dress—in her car—and those who went home to refresh or swap outfits ended up missing it altogether. “I’m jealous of your shoes,” Coco Rocha said to a young man in loafers. “Do you want to trade?”

Further downtown, at Laura and Kate Mulleavy’s bash at the SubMercer, it was post-Met debauchery as usual: Shala Monroque swinging on a stripper pole; Jessica Stam sneaking smokes with Gossip Girl’s Jessica Szohr; both Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen grinding on DJ Alex Hawgood behind the turntables. “Are we in a basement?” asked Dasha Zhukova, who brought Francesco Vezzoli and MoMA’s Klaus Beisenbach. “Because this is the chicest underground party I’ve been to. Literally, underground.”

—Derek Blasberg

Apparel Software 

Apparel Software 

Entering the Metropolitan Museum for tonight’s Costume Institute Gala, guests were greeted by a six-foot mannequin, perched atop an urn and ringed with hundreds of white roses. A creation of honorary chair Marc Jacobs, the svelte totem was draped in fabric and crowned with an enormous wig designed by French hairstylist Julien d’Ys. The message was clear: “All hail the supermodel!”

Where 2008’s Superheroes exhibit paid tribute to Catwoman and co., this year’s edition, titled The Model as Muse, puts fashion’s real-life heroines on a pedestal. And back on the triple-wide red carpet, there was plenty of “all hail”-ing going on, as a multigenerational who’s who of cover girls—everyone from Lauren Hutton to Gisele to Jessica Stam—trotted by. After Heidi Klum was grazed by a few sprinkles of rain, half a dozen suited men immediately started fussing over her gown—among them its creator, Gilles Mendel. And no sooner had Karolina Kurkova’s Richard Chai bracelet snapped off than the designer swooped in and snapped it back on. Even the Hollywood stars—those magazine-cover usurpers—were obliged to pay homage. “I’m completely crazy about Kate Moss,” gushed Eva Mendes. Moss, of course, was one of the evening’s co-chairs, along with Jacobs, Vogue’s Anna Wintour, and Justin Timberlake.

Dolling up for New York’s fashion event of the year is never easy; this time there was the added pressure of knowing that all those natural-born clotheshorses would be in attendance. Donatella Versace claimed it had taken “forever” to get ready, but two hours seemed to be the norm. What was a slog for Kate Beckinsale (”I can’t work up any interest in fingernails, I just can’t”) was a piece of cake for Renée Zellweger. (”We all get together and turn on the news, scream at the TV—and when it’s time to go, we put the dress on,” she shrugged.) Jessica Alba got her hair done with her 11-month-old on her lap. “She was chewing on the bristles of the brush. I was like, ‘There’s hair spray on that!’”

Despite the evening’s theme, a couple of ladies learned a bit about how the gents dress. Diane Kruger came to the aid of her beau, Joshua Jackson: “I tied his bow tie, and it’s quite difficult. I had to look it up on YouTube!” And Lake Bell fearlessly strode up the steps in a Rag & Bone tuxedo. “That inside pocket, that is genius,” she marveled. (She was using it to hold double-sided tape for her heels.) Turning to Maryna Linchuk, she added that going as a guy had another perk: “I get to have a supermodel date.”

After dinner, Stefan Marais broke the gender barrier in a different way, doing touch-ups in the ladies bathroom for model pals Coco Rocha, Natalia Vodianova, and Stam. On the mic, Kanye West gave shout-outs to Alexander Wang and Alber Elbaz before rapping, “Some people made it to this room because they had rich parents, some people made it to this room because they paid their dues.” Of course, it also never hurts to be born beautiful.

—Darrell Hartman, with additional reporting by Sarah Mower

Apparel Software 

Friday night’s Art of Elysium benefit, “Bright Lights, New City,” drew models Raquel Zimmermann, Caroline Trentini, and Sasha Pivovarova, along with the Olsen sisters and Victoria and Vanessa Traina, to Manhattan’s newly renovated Jane hotel. Credit for the pretty crowd goes to the hosts—Joy Bryant, Vogue’s Sara Moonves, Bee Shaffer, and InStyle’s Nicole Vecchiarelli—although a performance by Santigold didn’t hurt. “I have an important audition tomorrow,” revealed Milla Jovovich, “but I’m here to support Joy and Santi and Art of Elysium because I love what they’re about.” The L.A.-based nonprofit, which just opened its first New York outpost, encourages artists, actors, and musicians to donate their time and talent to seriously ill children. “It’s about doing what you love with these kids,” explained Shaffer, who’s graduating from Columbia in two weeks. “It’s using what you’re passionate about to help.” Dancing being a preoccupation of the twentysomething set, the co-hosts hired Matt Creed to deejay, and the sold-out party raised nearly $50,000 for the charity.

—Sarah Fones

Apparel Software 

While many New Yorkers of the social variety took it easy this weekend in preparation for the Costume Institute Gala, it was nice to see that a few people were still willing to let their hair down. On Saturday night, the Gramercy Park Hotel’s annual Spring Fling drew a seriously VIP crowd: Quincy Jones, Naomi Campbell, Jessica Alba, Karolina Kurkova, and Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn all piled—and we mean piled—themselves into the elevators to greet hosts Harry Josh and Nur Khan on the rooftop, where tequila shots were the drink of choice.

No matter how loose the crowd became, though, it was hard to avoid talk of the Met. “I’m kind of nervous,” admitted Kate Bosworth, who revealed that she’ll be sitting at Stella McCartney’s table. “I just got a text from her saying having fun is the priority.” Honorary chair Marc Jacobs‘ fiancé, Lorenzo Martone, seemed to be taking his hosting duties seriously, too. “We have some big guns coming, and it looks like it’ll be a good night,” he said. With reports that Madonna, Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, and Winona Ryder will all be arriving on the duo’s arms—four arms for four girls?—he’s probably right.

—Derek Blasberg

Apparel Software