After a 29-year hiatus, “Fashion of the Pines” returns to Fire Island on August 20.
Around 200 people are expected at the “A Day in the Pines” event at Whyte Hall and Albert Lepage Pavilion which will feature a nod to the past with a modern twist. While many well-known designers have ties to the island, the show will highlight young founders, designers and emerging artists from the queer minority.
The show is an orchestrated production in association with the Fire Island Pines Arts Project, an organization that has hosted events and shows on the island for the past 35 years. JD Winston, board member, producer and former multidisciplinary performer, and Ryan Espinosa, another FIPAP board member and owner of the Denizen store on the island, are overseeing the revival of the event.
The runway will feature items from the store and other stores, as well as some donated pieces. “We are not selling a particular brand. Essentially, it’s a celebration of where we are as an island in this really expressive moment of individuality. The island is very DIY. People put on a headband, maybe a pair of designer shorts and the rest is done as you go,” Espinosa said. “If you’ve spent a lot of time here, you know what can happen in a very free and safe space. The rules are left [behind] when you get off the ferry.
Since the 1970s, the “Moda de los Pinos” was an annual celebration of local style. The late Fire Island developer and former model John Whyte was instrumental in creating the show and celebrated the festivities at The Botel pool.
The theme “Day in the Pines” was first used in the late 1980s by Russell Graham. Andy Baker and Ward Auerbach helped plant the seed to revive the event, which is promoted through Denizen. Winston said he and Espinosa began talking about the Fashion of the Pines events that took place from the 1980s to the early 1990s, and the possibility of holding one again. The event began in the 70s but the appearance of AIDS forced it to be suspended.
The duo pitched the idea to some of the people who experienced the original shows, like Bob Howard and Scott Bromley, and got some ideas. Some people from the Fire Island community have signed up to act as models. They’ll be sporting Pines-related fashion, including some styles from previous Fashion of the Pines events.
An open bar with a DJ and silent auction will take place during the first hour of the first hour of this month. Visitors will also find nostalgic memorabilia from Fashion of the Pines events of years past. Once the crowd moves inside, Luis Villabon will perform “My Strongest Suit” from the musical “Aida” in drag and Hal Rubenstein and Espinosa will host the event.
Noting how Fire Island first became a popular getaway for many gay artists, designers and celebrities in the ’70s, Winston said it was known as a haven to escape, feel safe and be themselves, “when that wasn’t the easiest”. things to do” at that time.
Source: wwd.com