Town & Country May 2018

1975 SHELF LIFE “The Island of Legendary Delights” is how T&C described Capri in our August issue. Slim Aarons, our noted contributing photographer, would set up camp on the island to capture visitors enjoying a bit of dolce far niente. Looking at his shot of bathers at the Hotel Punta Tragara, one can’t help wondering: Were the subjects wearing sunscreen? How did they stay so thin? We may have answered the latter question in this issue (see “Lithe Forever,” page 120) by asking another question: Isn’t that rich?…

Some of the most interesting pieces in the royal jewelry collection were acquired on a dare. Sometime in the early 1960s, Lord Snowdon, British design aficionado and husband of Princess Margaret, commented that there was nothing really exciting happening in the kingdom in the way of jewelry design. Andrew Grima, respectfully disagreeing, challenged Snowdon with an invitation to his shop on Jermyn Street. It paid off. Princess Margaret can be seen wearing her Grima brooch in a family portrait from 1965, and by 1966 the queen had some Grima in her collection as well. “It’s a clear example of the British monarchy’s effort to support British jewelry,” says historian and jewelry gallery owner Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos. Truth was, this period was a high point for national treasures, a fact Bartos…

VICTOR DEMARCHELIER The photographer (seen here with daughter Alice) shot our cover subject, supermodel turned supermom Cindy Crawford, who is profiled in “MODEL MATRIARCH” (page 100). “I feel like I’ve known Cindy forever,” he says. “She’s such an inspiring woman and as radiant as ever.” SARAH MASLIN NIR While researching “STRAND OF TRUTH” (page 114), Nir, a reporter at the New York Times, discovered that the phrase “blondes have more fun” has roots in an ancient Roman edict that required prostitutes to dye their hair. Anyone else “was serious and, well…not fun!” BEN WIDDICOMBE A stint as a newspaper gossip columnist taught Widdicombe a thing or two about getting the dish, a skill he put to use when reporting “LITHE FOREVER” (page 120), an examination of how rich women stay…

Cole Porter purring in the background. The famous and distinguished glittering and gossiping in their seats. The thrill of a new collection. The venue? Immaculate, of course. From her first show at the Metropolitan Club, in 1981, to her last, this year, at the Museum of Modern Art, Carolina Herrera has come to stand for a certain kind of New York, and it was that sangfroid that she sought to capture in this metallic clutch, the latest addition to her Insignia collection. Inspired by the ornate balustrade on the staircase in Stanford White’s gilded masterpiece and handcrafted by artisans who specialize in embroidering Spanish bullfighter costumes, it is—to paraphrase Porter—deluxe, delightful, delovely.…

On a sunny terrace in Kennebunkport, two former first ladies, one white-haired and distinguished, the other calm and graceful, sat surrounded by their brood, two former first daughters and two adorable young girls. Before them was the photographer Claiborne Swanson Frank, and she had only 20 minutes to catch the scene with her Canon T5. When the Bushes are here they’re off the grid, removed from the scrutiny that follows two ex–commanders in chief, including one whose two controversial terms in office are looking more presidential with the passing of time and the help of the White House’s current occupant. “You could tell Maine was their happy place,” Swanson Frank recalls. “Where they’re most free, most comfortable, where they take the time to enjoy each other and the focus is…

ARTS & CULTURE Mid-May Saks Fifth Avenue The department store’s NYC flagship unveils a new 32,000-squarefoot beauty floor. April 26 The Iceman Cometh Denzel Washington returns to Broadway to headline the Eugene O’Neill classic. Open Now David Webb The jeweler’s designs for Doris Duke are on display at Rough Point, her Newport mansion. May 3–6 Frieze New York The mega–art fair (and Instagram heaven) takes over Randall’s Island. May 19 René Magritte More than 70 works from late in the surrealist’s career provide an immersive experience at SF MoMA. May 10 “Heavenly Bodies” The Met’s spring Costume Institute exhibit is devoted to Catholicism, with robes and accessories on loan from the Vatican. April 24 Travesties Tom Stoppard’s Tony-winning 1974 play comes back to Broadway. May 16 Christie’s Geneva: Magnificent Jewels…