DALLAS, May 8, 2007/ FW/ --- Last night at the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute’s Gala Benefit, a very well-dressed crowd came to fete ‘Poiret: King of Fashion,' a landmark exhibit focusing on Paul Poiret, visionary French artist and couturier.

With François-Henri Pinault as Honorary Chair, together with Co-Chairs Cate Blanchett, Nicolas Ghesquière, and Anna Wintour, fashion and Hollywood’s brightest stars graced the event, among them Donatella Versace, Creative Director of the House of Versace, who also hosted a table for the gala.

Seen on the red carpet are Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank wearing a Versace eggplant long evening gown in micro pleated silk chiffon with chains details on the top and around the waist from the new fall 2007/ winter 2008 collection,

Supermodel Christy Turlington also chose to wear Versace, a strapless teal green silk chiffon Atelier Versace evening gown with a draped top, embellished with a green studs.

Last night’s gala marks the opening of the ‘Poiret: King of Fashion’ exhibit, which will be open to the public beginning May 9 all the way through Aug 6, 2007.

Focusing on Paul Poiret, who at the height of his career in pre-World War I France was the undisputed ‘King of Fashion.’ His sweeping vision led to a new silhouette that liberated women from the corset and introduced the shocking colors and exotic references of the Ballets Russes to haute couture.

But, though his influence on fashion is long lasting, his ideas and vision being used by the current crop of designers and fashion houses, very few people know about Poiret. His fashion house did not survive the test of time, the way Chanel did. Also, Poiret has not been a subject of a major exhibition for over 30 years.

In May 2005, the Metropolitan Museum, through a Paris auction, was able to purchase almost two-dozen outfits created by Poiret for his wife-muse Denise in the early 1900s, who wore his designs without concession to prevailing tastes.

"The historic significance and influence of Poiret's work is breathtaking, and felt in fashion to the present day," said Harold Koda, Curator in Charge of the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute.

"Poiret pioneered a seductive modernity based on woman's self-confident femininity, and envisioned a 'total lifestyle' that extended from how she dressed and what fragrance she wore to how she decorated her home – an approach reflected in the strategies of many of today's fashion houses." Koda added.

POIRET: KING OF FASHION
Exhibition dates: May 9 – August 5, 2007
Exhibition location: Special exhibition galleries, first floor

A book, Poiret, published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press, will accompany the exhibition, which will also be featured on the Museum's Web site www.metmuseum.org