Wintour Detour: Michelle Models Alaïa for ABT Gala (attended by Anna)

Dressing the First Lady is the best revenge.

Fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa, who went public with his displeasure over being omitted from the Metropolitan Museum's "The Model as Muse" exhibition, blaming it on the influence of Anna Wintour, editor in chief of Vogue, got even when America's new arbiter of taste, Michelle Obama, wore one of his creations to the opening night gala of American Ballet Theatre. Her designer choice and the presence of Wintour at the gala were both reported by Michael Saul, the press pool journalist assigned to the event. (He is political correspondent for the NY Daily News, when he isn't chronicling fashion statements and observing that "those famous arms were on display.")

This was not the first time that Mrs. Obama wore Alaïa to a high-profile event. (Her Monday Met garb, for you fashion followers, was by Isaac Mizrahi.)

Wintour, whose March cover girl was the First Lady, was (as reported by the NY Times) accorded a front row seat (below, right) at Monday afternoon's ribbon cutting for the reopened American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum, where Mrs. Obama somewhat ploddingly read a speech on the arts and cultural policy. But where was Morrison Heckscher, the Met's curator who is chairman of the American Wing? Somewhere in the room, we trust, but not onstage for the ribbon cutting.

Yesterday you read the text of the First Lady's Met remarks on CultureGrrl. Now you can view the video. The museum's director, Tom Campbell, (what's he wearing?) is standing behind the big "M," below. Met board chairman James Houghton is to Campbell's left: