THE ANGELS — Once home to Gilded Age railroad magnate Henry Huntington and his wife Arabella, the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in the posh Los Angeles suburb of San Marino, California, was the perfect backdrop for Ralph Lauren’s first show on the West Coast on Thursday. night.
The event was held in front of a crowd that included Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, whom Lauren dressed for their recent nuptials; Diana Keaton; Lily Collins; James Marsden; John Legend and Cole Sprouse.
“It’s a beautiful place to express the combination of ruggedness, casualness and elegance,” Lauren said of the location during a preview on Wednesday. “The collection is really about the spirit of how to enjoy life, the outdoors and color.”
The designer built his brand on the idea of the American aristocrat, who were the Huntingtons, although they were never fully accepted in New York society.
Sylvia Chamberlain’s fictional character played by Jeanne Tripplehorn on HBO’s “Gilded Age” bears several similarities to Arabella, who grew up in a poor home and had a child out of wedlock, before marrying two of California’s wealthiest men, an uncle and his nephew. Collis and Henry Huntington.
Arabella Huntington, circa 1880
© The Huntington/Courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Snubbed by the Astors and the Vanderbilts, she found more acceptance on the West Coast, where she and Henry amassed a significant collection of art and books that she bequeathed to the public in 1919, an important cultural moment for Southern California.
It’s a rags-to-riches story of self-invention that Bronx, New York-born Lauren can certainly relate to.
For the show, he used the Huntingtons’ colonnaded terrace space for a cocktail party. Models emerged from the 55,000-square-foot Beaux-Arts house, circa 1911, rich in 18th-century European portraiture, including Thomas Gainsborough’s sumptuously dressed “The Blue Boy” and Thomas Gainsborough’s charming “Sarah Godin Barrett Moulton: Pinkie.” ThomasLawrence.
“In portraiture, fashion was an important marker of individual and tribal identity. ‘Blue Boy’ was dressed in an elegant Van Dyck suit, with political connotations and courtly references at play,” said Christina Nielsen, director of the art museum. “We recently ordered [former President Barack Obama’s portrait painter] Kehinde Wiley to paint a new ‘Blue Boy,’ and the young model is wearing Vans shoes from the San Gabriel Valley, the factory is right here.”
“The Blue Boy” by Thomas Gainsborough, circa 1770.
© The Huntington/Courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Although the museum wasn’t open Thursday night, the outdoor stage had all the cinematic glamor one expects from a Ralph Lauren show. And it turns out the designer was inspired less by the golden surroundings than by the comfort of California’s indoor-outdoor living, she said.
One of the collection’s landmarks was a photo taken by Buffy Birrittella, Ralph Lauren’s longtime creative director of womenswear, sometime in the ’70s. It shows the designer wearing a tucked-in gray turtleneck. in white shorts, with a brown belt with silver monogram buckle, and a pair of woven espadrilles.
“It was an expression of the idea because the boy is very casual and very luxurious. He is timeless. That’s the statement of the show,” said Lauren.
ralph lauren
Buffy Birrittella/Courtesy of Ralph Lauren
She faithfully recreated the look from the catwalk, only with a camel jumper and it looked just as good on her now as it did then.
It mixed all genders, ages and prices, showcasing the women’s and men’s collections from Ralph Lauren and Purple Label, Double RL, Polo Ralph Lauren and Childrenswear, the first time it has done so since its 50th anniversary show in Central Park in New York. .
“I had a great reaction from people who wanted to include their family, and I have a family, so I know what that means,” the designer said.
Instead of one story, there were several different moods: sport, swim, cowboy, Gatsby-tailored, and what might be called California Keaton in disguise.
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck at the Ralph Lauren Spring 2023 Fashion Show held at The Huntington Museum and Gardens on October 13 in San Marino, California.
Michael Buckner for World Water Day
A crisp blue parachute silk maxi skirt with a green windbreaker tied around the waist, a colour-blocked polo shirt and a knit beanie had a ’90s neo-prep/grunge appeal, while a turtleneck navy blue with a diamond shaped monogram, white shorts and a toggle belt The look was given a little sparkle from Tinseltown, dressed in a navy sequin double breasted blazer.
Ralph Lauren Spring 2023
Courtesy
Lauren relaxed her tailoring for the West Coast experience, pairing luxe high-waisted ivory silk shorts with a matching soft trench coat and raffia and leather spectator heels. And the resort-ready navy blue palazzo pants read younger and fresher with a matching bandeau top and shrunken white satin RL logo varsity jacket.
Throughout, he’s remixed many of his classics, including the polo shirt, monogrammed turtleneck and cashmere knit sweaters that have been best sellers since before Oprah put them on her “Things to Do” holiday gift list. favourites”. “He also gives me a cap with towels,” the designer laughs.
Diana Keaton
Michael Buckner/DMA
The crowd was rocking, including brand ambassadors Jessica Chastain and Angus Cloud. Lopez, who has been linked to Versace and Coach, among other brands, came out in support of her wedding dress designer.
“She’s a fashion girl now,” said Lauren.
After the show, dinner was served in the three-acre Rose Garden among 1,200 varieties of flowers, including Barbra Streisand and Julia Child roses, but none by J.Lo yet.
Early postcard view.
© The Huntington/Courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens
Pieces from Lauren’s home collection were worn throughout the evening, and the Polo Bar’s Ralph Burger was on the menu.
In addition to drawing inspiration from Hollywood movies throughout her career and dressing Keaton in “Annie Hall” and Robert Redford in “The Great Gatsby,” Lauren has another connection to Los Angeles: She opened her first store here, on Rodeo Drive. in Beverly Hills, Calif. in 1971.
“All the French designers were sitting there, so this was a whole new world,” he said of helping put American luxury on the map, before reiterating why California, why now for his brand.
“I don’t like being stuck, that’s why I’m designing all these different labels. I want to do what I believe. This is very important”.
Lily Collins and Charlie McDowell
Michael Buckner/DMA
Laura Dern and Mindy Kaling
Michael Buckner/DMA
Source: news.google.com