Catching Up from City to Coast with William Ivey Long

William Ivey Long at The Lost Colony

Ivey talking with family members at his Seaboard home

Cat ching Up Fr om City To William Iv ey Long By Angela Brockelsby

Coast With

From New York City to Manteo, costume design extraordinaire William Ivey Long juggles multiple projects throughout the year in numerous locations with such ease that you have to wonder: what is his secret? To find out, I embarked upon a mission to catch up with Long this past July, trailing him from Seaboard and Manteo, North Carolina to New York City.

My first stop was Seaboard, a little-known town near the North Carolina and Virginia border where Long celebrates what would have been his father’s 100th birthday at a family picnic on his sprawling property on Main Street. After moving back to Seaboard in 1998, Long with the help of the Eastern Seaboard Trust, has been working tirelessly to rejuvenate life in the town. By investing his time and personal resources in the renovation of buildings, creation of jobs, and the cultivation of community support, he intends to restore the quality of life in his father’s hometown.

The gathering included family members, neighbors, and business associates, Long’s long-time business associate and “Jack-of-alltrades,” Brian Mear, was a constant presence, making sure everything was running smoothly and the guests were happy. Long gave me a tour of his house, which was filled with family memorabilia, pictures, and books [many of which his friends had written]. The artifacts imbued a sense of warmth that radiated throughout the house. He then led me out to the Seaboard School, which he hopes to revive and transition into The Seaboard School of Fashion and Costume. We discussed his many activities regarding Seaboard including: researching different fabrics; renovating the old grocery store on Main Street to turn it into a costume shop; and reviewing a potential scene shop collaboration with a Broadway production company.

After spending just a few hours with Long and his family, I was awed by Long’s warm reception to everyone around him. This provided me a glimpse of a key ingredient in Long’s successful career: he has a heart of gold for his family, friends and community.

EXTRA ONLINE : Read the full article online at: www.design.ncsu.edu/di/williamiveylong