Manny King John
Let’s hope this becomes a trend.
Recently, Ralph Lauren pledged its commitment to help restore one of the world’s most elite and influential schools in Paris, the École des Beaux-Arts. It was founded in 1648, and has been the breeding ground for exceptional and historical artists since its conception. Among the many talents are Renoir, Degas, Monet and Matisse — just typing their names give me goosebumps — and some more current artists like Hungarian painter György Kornis, Installationist Annette Messager and the honorary fashion icon Hubert de Givenchy. Performer Marina Abramović joins the list as a famous instructor.
Ralph Lauren plans to dedicate funding for a two-year project which will oversee the restoration and modernisation of the beautiful building as a part of the broader Beaux-Arts preservation campaign. Among the mentioned, this will also bring the institution’s teaching capabilities into the 21st century, whilst also importantly preserving the classical Beaux-Arts style for future generations to experience and explore.
Specifically, Ralph Lauren will restore the Amphitheatre d’honneur, the semi-circular lecture theatre at the heart of the school. The theatre will be fully updated to include state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and improve its stadium seating. Money will also be used to modernize the school’s website with a series of digital content providing global audiences with access to a multitude of conferences, workshops, symposiums and new online classes, placing the institution at the forefront of the contemporary art world. How fitting and exciting?
The corporation has a rich connection with French heritage and a long standing commitment to philanthropy with a love for Paris. To celebrate the patron sponsorship, the brand will host an exclusive gala dinner in the picturesque courtyard surrounding the L’Ecole des Beaux Arts in the coming weeks. The event will also feature a special presentation of the Ralph Lauren Fall 2013 Collection, the first time the designer has showcased outside of the United States.
As you can imagine, we are exciting and we cannot wait to visit. For more information about Ralph Lauren’s pledge to restore École des Beaux-Arts, just watch the video below:
