PHOTOS BY BOB KRASNER
Organizer Michelle Joni (front, white hoop skirt), MC Christopher Hardwick (standing, sunglasses, top hat) and a whole bunch of fabulous people.
Artists riff on posh Met Gala with
their own soiree in Union Square
Elisabeth Belomlinsky nods to AOC on the red
carpet
BY BOB KRASNER
If you’ve got $30,000 to spare, then the Met Gala is an
option for getting dressed to kill and strutting your
stuff. If your budget is considerably less than that,
there’s the Metro Gala — no ticket necessary.
“This is for all of you whose invitation to the Met
Gala got lost!” Metro Gala organizer Michelle Joni announced
before turning the mic over to MC Christopher
Hardwick. This year’s gala, held outside the subway
entrance in Union Square Park, was the second such
event organized by Joni. “My mission,” she explained,
“is to bring the glam usually found in VIP settings to
the street.”
With a sound system pumping out the dance tunes,
the glam on the budget red carpet ran from super creative
to super trashy — one outfi t was fashioned from
discarded party decorations and another from empty
junk food bags. There were political messages, such as
“Eat The Rich” and “End US imperialism,” as well as
performance art, some impressive gymnastics, and a
teen who happened by and decided to walk the runway
wearing her unicorn horn.
Vintage clothing dealer Marie Suchan was totally
in her element, wearing a combo that she threw
together just before the main event. “All dress is
costume, but this version is the most fun!” she
exclaimed. “I want to fill the world with pattern
and color.”
Valentina, who continued to dance around the square
long after her runway trek, found the evening “awesome”
and expressed exactly how she felt about the event: “It
just makes me feel fabulous.”
Follow @michellejoni and @glindathegoodbus on
instagram for upcoming events.
This couple was lit.
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