Marion Cotillard tackles Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth.

Byline: Liz Smith

'Money has nothing to do with style at all, but naturally it helps every situation,'' said the late doyenne of Vogue, Diana Vreeland.

Well, Conde Nast, the magazine giant, must now be licking itself like the sleek cat that had cream thrown on it.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with its annual Costume Exhibit, named after Anna Wintour, queen of Conde Nast, is busy making this money-raising event more glamorous than ever.

Anna is asking men this year to wear white tie and tails and the asking price for tickets for fashion's biggest names go for $25,000 a pop.

If you find this outrageous, just consider that it enables the public to enjoy the civilization and high art gathered in the Metropolitan Museum the rest of the year. High international fashion and the 1 percent are giving a gift to the masses whether they want to or not. So I say more power to Anna and those who came before her like Mrs. Vreeland, Pat Buckley, Blaine Trump and all the rest.

What's more Conde Nast is patting itself on the back for its coming May 1 American Society of Magazine Editors Award to its prize-winning editor Graydon Carter for his imaginative work with Vanity Fair. He put this publication on the map once again by creating a connection to the actual movie industry, in giving the best Party of the Year in Hollywood. And his editorials, exposes, photographers and wit have made it unique.

"Non, je ne regrette rien''...