No American vacation spot packs quite the punch quite like the Hamptons, whose biggest fan, Ralph Lauren, celebrated the rich, fragrant resort with a greatest-hits collection on Thursday night, staged at a posh horse farm.
Ralph whisked about 250 guests away to Watermill, the most exclusive corner of the Hamptons, for the soiree, which began with cocktails and movie stars posing in front of Lauren’s collection of classic cars — 1950s and 1960s Jaguars, Mercedes and Ferraris. Naomi Watts joined Tom Hiddleston, Jude Law, Laura Derby, Colman Domingo, Rufus Wainwright, Usher and H.E.R. to pose in front of meticulously painted barns and stables.
What followed was a somewhat disorganised show and collection, which nonetheless included some brilliant looks. The show took place in a pristine white space with a single solid wall featuring frescoes of galloping horses, and a collection that culminated in two joint performances by veteran supermodels Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington. First, in two ecru and white combinations of long lace or knit skirts topped off with a simple T-shirt or a divine riding jacket. Both were impeccable.
Playing with his classic wardrobe, but always with wit and vigor, Lauren presented a great series of screen-goddess-clad dresses in micro sequins and pearlized mesh; magnificent linen safari jackets worn over fringed Western pants; and modern pinstripe suits for women. If Yves Saint Laurent liberated women by dressing them in tuxedo suits, Ralph Lauren granted them cerebral chutzpah by dressing them in the most elegant blazers.
Long before inclusivity became a de rigueur fashion trend, Ralph had already included people of color in his shows and photo shoots. He recalled that he had a large real-life section, with some handsome young black models with funky afros mixed with young BIPOC Latino dandies, from age four to 40. Nearly twenty children appeared on the catwalk.
A carefree atmosphere underlined by a perfectly calculated soundtrack, courtesy of youngest son Andrew Lauren, who combined the Bob Seger, Erin O'Neill and Christopher Cross classic, 'Sailing'.
“The Hamptons are more than just a place. It’s a natural world of endless blue skies, ocean and green fields. It’s been my family’s home for over 50 years and has always been an inspiration,” explained Ralph, whose family home on a cliff is further west in Montauk, the surfing mecca of Long Island.
After bowing and embracing his wife, Ricky, Ralph hosted dinner inside a brand-new Polo Bar, replete with racing photographs, jockey portraits and riding photos, leather banquettes, linen-covered tables and Art Deco lighting. It was twice the size of Ralph’s Polo Bar on Fifth Avenue, but surprisingly built just for this evening. There Ralph dined between Ricky and Jill Biden, a month after the First Lady attended a chic Lauren cocktail party in Paris during the recent Olympics.
No designer insists on paying as much attention to detail as Ralph Lauren: from wax-lidded butter dishes that say “Polo Bar” to cocktail sticks that look like miniature polo mallets. Even his staff, dressed in multiple variations of cream and white, looked impeccable, easily the best-dressed crew in fashion so far this year.
And while his collection was rather classic, Ralph's choice of location was something else: a horseman's dream farm called Khalily Stables, purchased two years ago for $16 million.
Formerly known as Campbell Stables, this impressive 19-acre equestrian farm was known for hosting rock'n'roll legend Bruce Springsteen's daughter, Jessica Springsteen, a silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and Jennifer Gates, the daughter of billionaire Bill Gates.
The facility is certainly a horseman’s dream. Five structures surround a central courtyard on the gated property with meticulously manicured fields. The traditional facades are designed with white clapboards accented by hunter-green standing seam roofs and crimson-red window mullions and transoms. From these stables emerged a half-dozen horsemen, who would jump the horses over obstacles to add a touch of elegance.
An elegance that extended to the dining room and the food, all locally sourced, including the two excellent wines, a red and a white from Macari, a North Fork estate.
“I'm excited to share a menu of ingredients sourced from Hampton's bountiful farms and waters,” Ralph concluded.
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