After a nine-year hiatus, “Fashion of the Pines” is returning to Fire Island on August 20.
About 200 people are expected to attend “A Day in the Pines” at the event at the White Hall and Albert Lepage Pavilion, which will nod to the past with a present-day spin. While many famous designers have ties to the island, the show will highlight young and up-and-coming queer minority founders, designers and artists.
The show is a production that is being orchestrated in collaboration with the Fire Island Arts Project, an organization that has been organizing shows and events on the island for the past 35 years. JD Winston, a board member, a producer and former multidisciplinary artist, 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 stores and other stores, as well as some donated pieces. “We are not selling a particular brand. Essentially, it is a celebration of where we are as an island in this truly expressive moment of individuality. The island is very DIY. People will throw on a headband, maybe a pair of designer shorts and the rest as they go along,” Espinosa said. “If you’ve spent much time here, you know what’s in a very empty, safe space. It is possible rules are waived [behind] When you get off the ferry.”
Dating back to the 70s, “Fashion of the Pines” was an annual celebration of local style. The late Fire Island developer and former model Jon White was instrumental in creating the show and held the festivities in the swimming pool at The Bottle.
The “Day in the Pines” theme was first used by Russell Graham in the late 80s. Andy Baker and Ward Orbach helped plant the seed to revive the incident, which is being told through Denizen. Winston said he and Espinosa got to talk about the Fashion of the Pines event, which ran from the ’80s to the early ’90s, and about the possibility of holding one again. The event was started in the 70s but was postponed due to the onset of AIDS.
Both presented the idea and received some ideas by some who experienced the original show, such as Bob Howard and Scott Bromley. Some people from the Fire Island community are enlisted to act as models. They will be sporting fashion associated with the Pines, including some styles from previous Fashion of the Pines events.
The DZ Open Bar and Silent Auction will be held during the first hour of the first hour of this month. Guests will also get to see nostalgia for the Fashion of the Pines events from years past. Once the crowd is inside the house, Luis Villabon will perform “My Strongest Suite” from the musical “Aida” in drag and Hal Rubenstein and Espinosa will join the show.
Noting how Fire Island first became a popular getaway for a lot of gay artists, designers, and celebrities in the ’70s, Winston cites it as a haven to escape, feel safe, and be yourself. Known as “the easiest thing to do when it wasn’t”.
In the 80s, the Pines Conservation Society benefited from the profits of the annual show. In recognition of this, profits from the 2022 edition will go to that organization and FIPAP.
Originally published at Pen 18
No comments:
Post a Comment