MOCA Goes GAGA

Lady Gaga performing at MOCA's 30th anniversary gala

The Museumof Contemporary Art celebrated its 30th anniversary on Nov. 21 with a gala titled “NEW.”

If you’re a fan of MOCA, you know that the downtown L.A. institution has been struggling financially lately and was said to be close to shutting its doors. Thankfully, the museum—one of the best contemporary-art collections in the world and a major source of inspiration to me—will be kept open to the public. It was there that I saw my first Warhol, Pollock and Basquiat. As a teen, I lived downtown and can clearly remember when I used to walk by the museum during an event wishing to one day be inside that tent. Last Saturday, I finally stopped wishing.

After receiving and reading the gala’s invitation, I embarked in an emotional roller coaster. The invitation, designed by artist Ed Ruscha, was a work of art and the most personal invitation I had ever received. It consisted of a brown box with the words MOCA, NEW and the number 30. Inside was a 7”x5”, gray, bound, hardcover book. Printed on the book’s top, fore and tail edges are the words “MAKE, NEW, HISTORY.” Inside are blank pages. It was the perfect invitation for this occasion. It was like MOCA is asking us to write the beginning to the museum’s new era. When I found out that Miuccia Prada was designing Lady Gaga’s costume for the gala, I realized the gala would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. Now, the only thing that mattered was to make sure I met Prada.

The interior of the tent at MOCA was decorated a la Russian luxe with industrial gold centerpieces and waiters passing Grey Goose vodka shots. Celebrities were everywhere, but where was Prada? After giving up on meeting my favorite designer, I sat at table No. 8 and began to sadly eat my dinner. Gaga’s performance followed, and it was titled “Ballet Russes, Italian Style (The shortest musical you will never see again.).” In the middle of the stage, there was a pink Steinway Sons grand piano painted with blue butterflies by Damien Hirst. As the fog machine filled the stage, ballerinas and their partners from the Bolshoi Ballet leaped onto their pas de deux positions. Lady Gaga made her entrance accompanied by a masked Francesco Vezzoli. She was wearing a deconstructed silver hat designed by Frank Gehry, silvery, sleeveless, bodice dress with a full crystal chain-mail skirt overlay and boots with chandelier-like heels. Her bodice had the same “hand-painted” details as the dancers, giving them an almost uniformed look. She looked amazingly provocative.

After the performance, the pink piano was auctioned off for $450,000. During the bidding, a woman tried to out-bid the eventual winner, Larry Gargosian. It was the best bidding war I have ever witnessed. After the fog fully cleared, I recognized that woman: Miuccia Prada. I froze, then slowly stood up and walked directly her way. After Chloe Sevigny, Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy, and blogger Tavi Gevinson finished chatting with her, I quickly reached for her hand. She obviously felt my hands shaking because the first thing she said was, “Don’t be nervous.” I told her my admiration for her work, her brand, that I was a fashion designer and that I’ve been waiting to meet her since I was a teen. I also mentioned this would not be our last meeting. She smiled and responded, “It’s up to you.”

Once I arrived home after the after-party and before going to bed, I grabbed Ruscha’s book and made my own NEW history. I wrote: “MOCA made it possible for me to meet Miuccia Prada on its 30th re-birthday.”

Lady Gaga with Francesco Vezzoli

Raymundo Baltazar with Lady Gaga

Raymundo Baltazar with Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy

Lady Gaga in the house...tent

Raymundo Baltazar with Miuccia Prada

Designer Raymundo Baltazar appeared on the second season of Bravo’s “Project Runway.” A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, he has worked as the international design director for Scanty clothing and launched his own collection in 2005. He has produced runway shows for Christian Audigier and Ed Hardy in Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Barcelona. He has designed costumes for films including “Shooting LA,” “710/SPLIT,” “Playing with Dolls,” and “Laugh Pad” and has worked in television for companies including The Jim Henson Company, Cartoon Network, Touchstone Pictures, NBC, ABC, FOX and Oxygen. He has appeared as a fashion consultant on ABC’s “What About Brian” and was the lead stylist on campaigns for William Rast, People’s Liberation and Antik Denim.

He is currently senior production manager for IG Apparel/LEEDS Manufacturing International.