Maripol's polaroids tell the story of Valentino Beauty and Studio 54 An unique evening full of guests and friends, now immortalized on film
If I say polaroid, what comes to mind? Small-format photos, easy to slip into your pocket and take home as a lasting memory, blurred smiles, dimly lit nights, red lips standing out on faces washed out by flash, smiling or a little edgy. But if we’re talking about the history of fashion, entertainment, beauty, and the trends captured on film, one New York landmark inevitably comes up: Studio 54. And if we’re talking about a photographer, then the spotlight is on Maripol. You know her work: a young Madonna with a ribbon in her hair, Elio Fiorucci, Andy Warhol. All photos taken by her. And now, for the re-opening (for one night only!) of Studio 54 with Valentino Beauty, she once again stepped behind the lens to capture a night as special and unique as it gets.
Valentino Beauty, the Studio 54 reopening for the launch of the "Born in Roma 2025 Rendez-Vous" collection
The iconic hub of New York nightlife once again became a vibrant stage of boldness, the perfect setting for the debut of the limited edition "Born in Roma 2025 Rendez-Vous" collection. The event brought together an eclectic mix of personalities: beauty and fashion insiders, trailblazing cultural innovators, emerging creatives, friends of the Maison, and even the original managers of the legendary club. As always throughout its history, Studio 54 was once more the place where creativity, self-expression, freedom and individuality found their ideal stage to shine. Maripol’s polaroids perfectly captured this narrative, just as they always have throughout the history of international glamour.
Among the event’s guests were iconic figures who made Studio 54 legendary: Cher, Maripol, and Pat Cleveland. The original managers of the club joined forces with Valentino Beauty’s faces: Colman Domingo, newly appointed Global Beauty Ambassador; Adut Akech, the star of the Born in Roma fragrances; and Nana, the leading face of all the brand’s makeup campaigns. The party also welcomed celebrities such as FKA Twigs, Lenny Kravitz, Sophie Thatcher, Christopher Briney, Benito Skinner, Jemima Kirke, Tessa Thompson, Evan Ross, Rowan Blanchard, alongside friends of the House. Do you recognize some of them in these images that seem to come straight from another era?
And if the images alone weren’t enough to capture the vibes of the night, here are a few words straight from the iconic photographer, bridging past and present: "Studio 54 was an incandescent whirl of wild, decadent nights where dance was the pulse. The club was our sacred living room, and the night, our gravity. By day, we were lost in sprawling lofts. Every fleeting moment was a tableau, perfect to capture in an instant flash."
