In fact, some women were often topless at Studio 54 parties, in nothing more than tiny thong bottoms and boots. One of the many famous faces to grace the dance floor of Studio 54 was that of legendary singer Diana Ross. It wasnt just the celebrities known to enjoy partying who indulged in a night out at Studio 54. A nearly naked couple dances together on top of a speaker at the club's first Halloween party in 1977. Not only was he keen on wearing loose fitting Hawaiian shirts, but his down coat was packed to the gills with money and drugs. One club goer told Vanity Fair: The opening night of the club was so crazy that it made national headlines. For the younger generations who might not know, Elizabeth Taylor was a star like no other during her time. Yet, Studio 54s sensibility of inclusion and freedom lives on through the books, films and fashion that it has inspired ever since. Full of rollerskating Wall Street Bankers, tabloid fixtures and postwar frivolity, a new documentary reveals the social backdrop of the famous club. Franco Rossellini and Steve Rubell (producer and owner, respectively) are pictured here in front of what appears to be a giant birthday cake. What Gene has is a very different sensitivity, McCarthy says. Cher dancing at Studio 54. The people who worked at Studio 54 were so ill equipped for the craziness on opening night that they broke down under the stress of the crowd. Model Bianca Jagger, in an off-the-shoulder number, is seen riding a white horse at the entrance of the club (1977), Dancers showcase a performance on metallic cushions amid a curious crowd at a New Years Eve party (1977), A star-studded New Year's Eve at Studio 54: Halston kissing Diana Ross, Jack Haley Jr with his wife Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, and, of course, Andy Warhol (1978), Model and musician Grace Jones shimmers in a sparkling bodysuit as she performs at a New Years Eve party (1978), Soul legend Curtis Mayfield makes an extravagant entrance outside the club with his wife and friend in their Rolls-Royce (1977), Debbie Harry sticks out her tongue, while Steve Rubell is sprawled out on top of her and friends (1980), A costumed party-goer at a Halloween event sporting a platinum blonde wig, 18th-century-inspired face paint, lace bustier and white bow tie (1981), Diane von Furstenberg lounging with her husband-to-be, media mogul Barry Diller (1978), 3 products that all dermatologists use in the morning to prevent ageing, 29 stunning pictures and videos that take you inside Antilia, Mukesh Ambani & Nita Ambani's residence, I didn't practice the triple hair wash technique until a hairdresser told me this, A crash course in clashing prints: Bollywood celebrity edition celebs, Everything you need to know about Frieze London 2019, Chanels travelling photo exhibit hits Dubai. All rights reserved. What made Studio 54 different, however, was that drugs were practically encouraged inside. Then . You were also welcomed with open arms if you were a drag queen. This article originally appeared on Vogue US. Looking back on her childhood Barrymore said: There were other dance clubs in New York City, but none of them shared the you had to be there power of Studio 54. As Netflix's Halston reminds us, Studio 54 was a fever dream of excess. Studio 54, both the interior and the street outside, allowed people to dance off their problems and be apart of something at the same time. He saw the club as a place where people became objects rather than something flesh and blood. Even though the club was considered a spooky place it could provide moments of levity. He told NY Mag that Steve Rubell wanted to have a bunch of hot, gay bartenders working the club, and because of that most of them spent their time working and not doing their jobs - which is how Taylor managed to keep his. Select from premium Studio 54 Party of the highest quality. On finding Studio 54s books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. With someone like Diana Ross at your venue, you wont be hurting for attendees. Right: A woman gets low on the dance floor in 1977. While it lasted, many photographers flocked to the bacchanal to capture the celebrities and other lucky denizens as they danced and snorted and frolicked under that iconic Man in the Moon with the coke spoon sculpture. Left: A performer on stilts manages to bust a move in 1981. Ian Schrager, one of the co-owners and founders of Studio 54 explained his idea behind the design: Explosive mayhem is the perfect way to describe this scintillating night club. Being a spouse to legendary partier Jagger, its no wonder she enjoyed a good get-together herself. Before the co-owners went to jail they threw a party to end all parties called The End of Modern-Day Gomorrah. They only invited a small crowd of about 2,000 revelers many of them A-list celebrities. Even when the clubs co-owners were under a federal investigation they didnt let anything get in the way of the clubs success. Come anytime you like, and youll get in. After the invitation she became an institution and showed up whenever she was free. By 11 pm there were thousands of people outside the club with no hope of getting in, so many of the revelers ended up having a sex-fueled party in the street. Shes just finished with a 1978 concert, following up a Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance. Despite spending only $400,000 on preparations for the nightclub, owner Rubell indicated Studio 54 made over $7 million in profits in the first year. Mick Jagger and his then significant other Jerry Hall entering the club. One of Studio 54s main attractions was its complex lighting. In 1978, Studio 54 was lucky enough to host her 46th birthday party. She sued Warhol's estate because she said that she was made to look "dumb." The streets were so packed with people that wanted to get into the Studio that attendees were literally being thrown inside. Other people openly smoked illegal substances or snorted drugs such as cocaine. Described by some as Sodom and Gomorrah with a disco beat, New York City's delightfully depraved nightclub opened its doors in 1977. Left: A clubgoer dressed as Jesus carries a large cross onto the dance floor in 1977. Doorman Marc Benecke told the BBC: According to people who were there, one of the biggest misnomers about the scene inside Studio 54 is that everyone was on drugs all the time. Co-owner Ian Schrager explained: While the club had been a major success after its first night, it still wasnt the wild success that the owners wanted it to be. Aids later hit, of course. It happens to the best of us. This kind of tolerance in the 1970s and 1980s was not seen in the mainstream media, but it was alive and well in nightclubs like Studio 54. Throughout its three-year lifespan under Rubell and Schrager, Studio 54 served as a lab to experiment with everything from illicit drugs to gender. She explained that they were shoving their party in everyones face because America needed to have their own excesses reflected back at them. Gene Spatz/POBA.org. Trudeau frequented the nightclub more than once and earned herself a bit of a reputation among partiers. Throughout its three-year lifespan under Rubell and Schrager, Studio 54 served as a lab to experiment with everything from illicit drugs to gender. September 25, 2020 07:00 AM. Supposedly one evening a countess showed up to the club and took a liking to one of the bartenders. Not only was this accepted, but one of the biggest suppliers was the co-owner Steve Rubell. While the nightclubs lifespan may have been cut short, the memories made within its walls live on in countless celebrities and lucky visitors. Right: A pair of women get funky on the dance floor during November 1977. At the age of 7 she regularly partied at Studio 54, opening her up to the debauchery and drugs that were available to every other guest. The man who made it famous, Steve Rubell, was only in charge from 1977 to 1980. In this picture, well-known English actor Michael Caine is laughing and dancing with his wife Shakira, while partygoers frolic on behind them. Then she discovered an organization that seemed to offer a way forward and talked with Regan McCarthy at POBA, an online hub and resource thats dedicated to recognizing creative talents who were under-recognized during their life. Contact Gabriel H. Sanchez at gabriel.sanchez@buzzfeed.com. Capote was an occasional visitor to Studio 54 and got down with the best of them. What was interesting is that women felt secure enough to dance nude in the place. Clubs have been using this idea for years. June 1, 2017. May 14, 2021. Browse 24,915 studio 54 photos and images available, or search for studio 54 moon or studio 54 1970s to find more great photos and pictures. This photograph comes just before the release of Off the Wall, when he was still remembered most for his youthful vocals in The Jackson 5. She made appearances at the nightclub more than once throughout the years and was there on its last day of operation under Steve Rubell in 1980. Rubells connections meant celebrities were some of the first people to set foot inside, and its reputation as an exclusive hub for the rich and famous was sparked. Of course, playing it cool was a necessity when inside the club. Right: People wait in line outside of Studio 54 in 1978. At the time Jerry Hall was just getting used to being a celebrity and she had stars in her eyes. How cool would it be to head into Studio 54 and see Jamie Lee Curtis dancing with her mom, Janet Leigh, under the house lights? It first opened its doors on April 16th, 1977 and stayed open for a short but eventful 33 months. Diana Ross, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Cher, Truman Capote, and Andy Warhol were all among its regulars, but Studio 54 was more than a celebrity hotspot and beacon of New York nightlife. In 1977 Steve Rubell and Ian Shrager bought a disused theatre on 254 W. 54th St, New York, and turned it into the world's most famous nightclub, Studio 54. Important for the co-owners to make the evening special. New York Daily News Archive / Getty Images. The criteria for entry werent clear-cut you simply had to have the look and style they wanted to see inside the establishment. It took owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager just six weeks to . A party was staged the night before their sentences began. Rather than show how scared they were, the $1.5 million renovation showed that the co-owners were putting on a brave face. The dancers kept throwing their coats at the workers and the ticketing system stopped working altogether. As a mood-boosting tonic, and at a time when our festive calendars have been curtailed by social-distancing measures, Vogue delves into Studio 54s world of excess and extravagance. Warhols friend Bob Colacello wrote in his memoir: To create a club that lives up to the theatrical standards of the Rocketman himself, Rubell and Schrager did everything they could to turn the former theater into an experience. If you thought youd seen it all when it came to crazy Studio 54 performances, youd be mistaken. Harry was at 54, she was the Mudd Club, and she was at CBGBs. The hottest celebrities and wildest outfits could be seen on the dance floor, and illicit substances flowed freely among partiers. From the moment it opened its doors in 1977, the era-defining club was, says writer Bob Colacello in Rizzolis Studio 54, a sociological phenomenon and a historical event. In a 1996 interview with Vanity Fair, Diane von Furstenberg concurred: I had more fun at Studio 54 than in any other nightclub in the worldwhich says a lot, coming from a doyenne of the New York Fashion Week schedule. In an interview with The Guardian Blondie singer Debbie Harry tried to set the record straight about how often she went to Studio 54. There were no thoughts outside of "I want it, let's make it happen.". Getty Images. Studio 54s peak was intense but short-lived. They had lights rigged so there was a sunrise and a sunset. Another thing it often had, as a result, was strange performances. Studio 54 is remembered as the first non-judgmental, queer-friendly mainstream nightclub, which was not unlike an adult amusement park. They were like queens on the dancefloor.". A guaranteed internet breaker, if it had been invented. The two are engaged in intimate conversation and posed in a relaxed manner, with Furstenbergs stiletto-clad foot thrust over the edge of the seat. Going to work day in and day out all week can grind a person down. At the time, she would have been in the midst of releasing her 1977 album, Cherished. Given that it used to be an actual studio, the interior had ample lighting equipment to create pulsating light shows. After Lowen uploaded digital versions of the photographs to a secure vault, POBA staff helped crop and curate the material, highlighting the value of his artistic eye. She explained: There was always something crazy happening at Studio 54, whether it was snowing, or there was a bridge for dancers to use so they could groove in the air, it was. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories, To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Then Covid Trapped Them There. Regardless of how hot and sweaty it got in the club he wore the coat around in case he needed to hand out a party favor.. On finding Studio 54's books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. Disco was all the rage back in the 1970s and Studio 54 was the place to be if you were in New York. He had a kind camera. I have not seen a picture that Gene took that would have embarrassed anybody even though he was with people doing very strange things.. We want people who are just in there to have fun.. Elizabeth Taylor shimmering in a glamorous iridescent bodysuit while chatting to legendary fashion designer Halston. Nothing would compare to the nightclubs glory years in the 1970s and 80s. Debbie Harry, dressed in a black turtleneck and black glasses, sticking her tongue out for a photo; a tuxedo-clad Sterling Saint Jacques swinging around Shirley Bassey. "Everyone has heard of Studio 54, but these unpublished color photos captured more than expected from the infamous nightclub. According to Dustin Pittman, a photographer who was there, the sickening smell of the flowers couldnt cover the scent of all the nefarious activity that happened there throughout the years: With Studio 54 being the hottest ticket in town for 33 months there was an overwhelming amount of people who wanted to get in. 29 Wild Photos From The Drug-Fueled Heyday Of Studio 54. Bianca Jagger appears on horseback for her birthday. Sylvester Stallone and Sheryl Slocum, 1977. This exclusive event would have been the talk of the season. At a wild place like Studio 54, there werent lots of rules about what to wear or who to be. Both famous celebrities and regular bystanders alike managed to have a rockin good time at Studio 54. In 1978, Rubell told New York magazine that only the mafia does better than us. Here, gazing adoringly at her husband here is . Debbie Harry sticks out her tongue, while Steve Rubell is sprawled out on top of her and friends. Debbie Harry, dressed in a black turtleneck and black glasses, sticking her tongue out for a photo; a tuxedo-clad Sterling Saint Jacques swinging around Shirley Bassey. Andy Warhol, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote, and Paloma Picasso. Then, step inside the 1990s rave scene at its neon zenith. Nightlife anywhere was sure to have drugs involved were talking about the 1970s, here. The club was a tabloid fixture. Owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager transformed a former TV studio into a nightclub that hosted extravagant theme parties for the crme de la crme - which included everyone from celebrities to street corner legends. When she wasnt whipping her legs through the air to the music, she was brushing shoulders with the countrys most famous celebrities. People would be upset about the cleanliness of the animal and whether or not something was wrong with the horse. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. They served copious amounts of alcohol, played the loudest music and sometimes had mini food fights on the dancefloor. On April 26, 1977, Studio 54 opened its doors and introduced the world to a new era of nightlife. A playful, intimate moment between a pair of partygoers, circa 1978. In an oversized down coat, obviously. Instead, they used architects who designed popular restaurants, lighting people who worked on Broadway shows, and for sound they used people who were used to more underground clubs. Once the show came to an end the cast had to have somewhere to go - and they went to the Studio. In front is famous artist Andy Warhol. Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov. The black-and-white photographs included scenes from iconic clubs like Studio 54 and Xenon; shots of Carrie Fisher, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Mary Tyler Moore and Robert Redford; as well quirky New York City street life tableaus in the 1970s and Eighties. A couple relaxes next to a comatose man, 1978. Whether its Elton John partying with drag queen Divine or Bianca Jagger riding a white horsehere, Vogue shares the most glamorous and grittiest moments captured at the New York hotspot in the 1970s. One close friend of Rubell's notes that the co-owner thought that he would never be caught. The club acted as an alternative reality to the late 70s in New York City where homophobia and racism ran rampant. 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