THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM ACQUISITIONS GALA

The Story

Tory Burch, Wendi Deng Murdoch, Karlie Kloss, and Annette de la Renta, the elegant widow of Oscar de la Renta, led the perfumed pack to The Metropolitan Museum’s posh Annual Acquisitions Gala. Samantha Boardman, Dasha Niarchos, Gina Peterson, Anne Tenenbaum, and Amy Griffin served as the night’s chairs. Among the museum’s celebrated new works is the archive of photographer James Van Der Zee, comprised of 9,000 photographs and 30,000 negatives from sittings with Harlem luminaries of the 1920s and ’30s. One artist in attendance, Jordan Casteel, whose grandmother Margaret sat on the Met’s board, gave an emotional speech during the elegant, candle-lit, black-tie dinner in the Temple of Dendur, telling the crowd of cognoscenti: “You hold a position at the proverbial table, you believe that supporting art and artists is not only important but necessary. Through acquisitions, history is written.” Michael Bloomberg, Alexis Traina, Rachel Feinstein, Janna Bullock, and Lizzie and Jamie Tisch led the applause. After dinner the guests were treated to a formal photo while sitting on ornate, velvet furniture with an elaborate floral backdrop inspired by Van Der Zee’s work. The night, which raised four million dollars to acquire new works, was made possible by Tiffany & Company.

CO-CHAIRS/ GINA PETERSON, ANN TENENBAUM, AMY GRIFFIN, SAMANTHA BOARDMAN, DASHA NIARCHOS