into body-con cocktail gowns and contrasting suiting with sequins are all pure Beene. One piece that stood out in the Hindman sale was a plain black gown with a gold panel inserted into the back, leaving a tantalisingly visible seam of flesh. Beene’s emphasis on comfort and practicality never disallowed sexiness — the infamous plunging green gown that Jennifer Lopez wore to the Grammys in 2000 (and again at the Versace SS20 show) is more than a nod to a silver lamé number shown by Beene in the 1970s. Often described as cerebral or intellectual, Beene possessed the same relentless curiosity that characterised the work of the late Karl Lagerfeld. Extensive travel and research informed his collections, which paid homage to traditions as diverse as Russian folk dress or nuns’ habits. Beene was never a rock-star designer, preferring to allow the discreet, exacting standards of his creations to speak for themselves. His personal life was just that; his most enduring known passion was for the rare orchids he cultivated at his Long Island home. A recipe for crab soufflé he contributed to Vogue Food in 1981 suggested he had never forgotten his Southern roots, and if he didn’t exactly feel disdain 48
for worldly success (he developed a hugely profitable sportswear line in 1971), there always seemed to be an air of old-world courtliness to his work. Collaborations with artists such as Jean Dubuffet seemed startlingly modern, but Beene was also revered by the petites mains, the ‘little hands’ of the French couture houses, for his technical brilliance with lace. Beene died in 2004, and the company that still trades under his name now operates largely as a non-profit organisation. Since 2007, the Geoffrey Beene Foundation has donated more than $5m to students developing careers in fashion and other causes, as well as making substantial contributions to cancer research. All proceeds from last month’s sale will benefit the Geoffrey Beene Cancer Research Centre in New York. “Fashion should be beautiful, not necessarily newsworthy,” Beene said. “Changes should evolve slowly.” He might be remembered as the designers’ designer, who placed his artistry behind the needs of his customers. In a fashion climate where competing trends are ever more desperate to grab our fickle attention, the opportunity to re-evaluate his legacy gives pause for thought.
LS Hilton / The Sunday Times Style Magazine / News Licensing
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Fashion should be beautiful, not necessarily newsworthy. Changes should evolve slowly