A Glam Gala

The Party
Silver tennis shoes, feather boas, leather pants and a dress that lights up (yes, really) aren’t typical gala attire. But when you’re celebrating the opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s epic exhibit chronicling the 50-year career of groundbreaking performer David Bowie, it’s par for the course.

The People
In keeping with its glam-rock theme, the MCA, along with two adjoining tents, took on a Studio 54 vibe with plenty of disco balls, sparkly chandeliers and fake fur-topped sofas. Celeb hangout Mr. Chow served as inspiration for the dinner menu—chilled lobster salad, perhaps?—which was provided by Blue Plate Catering for the 750 guests. The diverse mix of the city’s power set and local artists included Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Desiree Rogers, Nick Cave and Theaster Gates.

Best In Show
After dinner, guests got a sneak preview of the exhibit, which will only be seen in Chicago in the United States. As the buff, shirtless bartenders mixed after-dinner drinks, guests listened to music from DJ Isaac Ferry, before his father, music legend Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music fame, took to the stage. Presented by Louis Vuitton, the gala raised more than $2.85 million, with proceeds benefiting future MCA exhibitions, performances and education programming. Talk about music to our ears. -Photos by Jim Prishing © MCA