Events Parties Costume Institute Gala

The annual Costume Institute gala is never a casual affair, of course, but add the extra inducement of dressing in the spirit of Paul Poiret—a.k.a. the self-proclaimed "King of Fashion"—and you can count on the "Party of the Year" going into sartorial overdrive. Stars from every galaxy came out in variations on the early twentieth-century couturier's tiered dresses, feathered headbands, and cocoon jackets—even the occasional cape. "It's a fashion celebration, that's for sure," said Shalom Harlow, in Viktor & Rolf.