Ralph’s Spot
For his first West Coast runway show, Ralph Lauren revealed he will be holding his spring
2023 event at the expansive Huntington Museum and
Gardens just outside Los Angeles in a well-to-do suburb.
The Oct. 13 evening show will highlight both the men's and women's collections, according to a statement from Ralph
Lauren Corp. No further details were revealed except to say the fashion experience will be uniquely Ralph Lauren.
The Huntington Library,
Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, as it is formally called, encompasses 120 acres in the tony suburb of San Marino and comprise the former estate of railroad baron Henry Huntington and his wife, Arabella. The vast botanical collection spanning the complex includes a Japanese garden, a Chinese garden, a large rose garden and the Shakespeare garden with plants cultivated in England during William Shakespeare's time.
The former Huntington mansion, built at the beginning of the 20th century, is now filled with artwork, including Thomas Gainsborough's “The Blue Boy” and Thomas Lawrence's “Pinkie.”
Lauren's last fashion show in March was held in a museum, too. At the Museum of Modern
Art in New York, a gallery was transformed into a replica of the designer's Fifth Avenue apartment and guests were invited to see his fall 2022 collection. It was Lauren's first show in three years.
Ralph Lauren has been in the news lately for creating three different bridal gowns for Jennifer Lopez, who, in a more formal second wedding ceremony this month, married fellow actor Ben Affleck at his 87-acre compound on Hampton Island Preserve in Georgia.
Southern California in recent years has been the site for several designer fashion shows that normally would have taken place in New York or Europe. The temperate climate is perfect for outdoor runway shows. The number of Hollywood celebrities who live in the area make for a star-filled audience.
In May, Louis Vuitton designer Nicholas Ghesquière chose the seaside Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif., as the location to unveil his resort 2023 collection, capturing stunning looks among the Brutalist architecture highlighted at sunset. That same month, Dior's men's artistic director Kim Jones closed down part of Venice Beach to show the brand's men's resort collection.
Last November, Gucci closed off part of Hollywood Boulevard and staged a show in the street in front of the 1920s-era El Capitan theater, unveiling the Italian company's spring 2022 rtw collection.
Walking the show were celebrities including Jared Leto, Macauley Culkin and Naomi Campbell. In the audience were entertainment stars including Billie Eilish, Diane Keaton, Salma Hayek, Serena Williams, Tracee Ellis Ross and Sienna Miller.
— DEBORAH BELGUM
United States than Arthur Ashe,” Carlson said. “Arthur Ashe has been a hero of mine for a long time. His icy cool demeanor, effortless style, scholarly approach to sport, his will to win and determination to stand up for social justice all resonate with me deeply. The opportunity to work to create this brand has been a dream come true.”
Later in his playing career, Ashe had his own apparel brand, but after he retired, that was discontinued as he focused more on health initiatives, Carlson said.
Blanchard said the brand is intended to “commemorate oneof our Black heroes who encapsulated style and grace on and off the court.” He was known for his clean-cut aesthetic in his early years that morphed into more-flashy styles in the '70s.
The Arthur Ashe collection will include athletic apparel and leisurewear for men and women, including tennis polos, shorts, skirts, sweats, T-shirts, knitwear and accessories — all intended to celebrate Ashe's style. It includes a reproduction of the
U.S. Davis Cup team warmup suit he wore during the award ceremony at Wimbledon in 1975. Prices will range from $25 to
$265 and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Arthur Ashe Legacy Fund at UCLA (Ashe's alma mater), and Social