>> Anna Wintour received criticism yesterday for co-opting the Met's reputation for her own means, but new Costume Institute Gala-related developments snuff out those complaints in a second.  Seven models — including Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, and Linda Evangelista — were to wear Azzedine Alaia creations to the gala tonight, but the designer has asked them not to wear the dresses because his work, though strongly tied to a number of the supermodels' careers, has no place in this year's exhibit, save for one photograph.

As a result, Naomi Campbell — as rumored — plus some of the other (unnamed) models will not be attending tonight in a gesture to the designer. A spokeswoman for Campbell confirmed this afternoon: “As Naomi has been the muse of Azzedine Alaia for 23 years, she feels she doesn’t want to attend unless she can represent his work.”  No word on whether Seymour and Evangelista will do the same.

Alaia blames Anna Wintour for the omission »

>> THE MODELIZER —This morning, Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs, and the Costume Institute's Harold Koda held a press conference detailing this year's exhibit, The Model as Muse.  Before Marc headed off to the gym, to watch 1909 Victorinox front row, and finally to Paris this afternoon to work on Louis Vuitton, he took a moment to talk about Kate Moss, his co-chair for the event.  Her first New York runway appearance ever was for his 1992 grunge collection at Perry Ellis, and apparently Moss was so sick that day, they had to arrange a special dressing room for her. “She didn’t want to let me down.  Even in pain, she stuck it out and did the show. It was something that brought us together.” [Papermag, Style File]