NEW YORK – Ed Ruscha fans have a chance to bid on an exclusive new work – though they might be surprised by the medium. To benefit the Alzheimer’s Association, Huntsman Savile Row and the celebrated American artist have designed a one-of-a-kind tuxedo jacket lined with a silk print of his 1986 painting “Boy Meets Girl," owned by actress and model Lauren Hutton. Made-to-measure for the winning bidder, the bespoke piece is one of six editions to be produced (though the only one to be sold) and comes with a personal invitation to visit Ruscha’s Los Angeles studio.
“I like the idea of a concealed secret,” says Ruscha. “When someone wears a great jacket, there is a private luxury that only the wearer can experience, almost like you are flashing.”
From printing the lining to tailoring the classic silhouette, the entire process was a collaborative effort that lasted almost a year. “Technically, it’s quite a task that you have to take on,” says Carol Pierce, general manager at Huntsman, a brand that has dressed everyone from Queen Victoria and Winston Churchill to Katharine Hepburn and Marc Jacobs. “You cut the actual lining so that all the detail of the painting matches up perfectly.”
All proceeds from the sale will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. Silent auction bids are currently being accepted online until 12 PM (Noon) ET on 25 October before the 33rd Annual Rita Hayworth Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, where the highest online bid will become the opening bid during the evening's live charity auction, conducted by Sotheby’s Vice Chairman, Americas Hugh Hildesley.
