SUNSET RUNWAY

DAVID FERRON X BRANDYWINE RIVER MUSEUM OF ART

On Saturday, March 28th, 2020 at sunset, I will present my debut collection at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. The collection will showcase the strength and beauty of local women who have inspired artists for generations.  This will be the first event of its kind at the museum and will include a runway show, cocktail reception, and open special exhibitions. After the show, I encourage everyone to take a closer look at the collection and view the special exhibitions, Votes for Women: A Visual History and Witness to History.  I could not be more excited to see you there. This will be a night to remember. 

WHEN/WHERE

Saturday, March 28th, 2020 5:00 - 8:00 pm

Brandywine River Museum of Art

1 Hoffmans Mill Rd, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

5:00 pm Arrival Reception

5:30 pm Runway Seating

5:45 pm Sunset Runway Show

6:00 - 8:00 pm Post-Show Cocktail Reception

There aren’t many times in the year that we are more reflective than at the beginning of a new one.  So like many of you, as the first days of 2020 are upon us, I am looking back on the monumental moments that made the past year so special. At the same time, I am looking forward to the growth and possibility in the new year to come.  Last year it became crystal clear that my atelier is about much more than just clothes. It’s about community, it’s about love, and it’s about life.

Today I begin my third year in business and a huge milestone is on the horizon.  My next chapter will begin with a Sunset Runway Show at the Brandywine River Museum of Art on March 28th, 2020.  I hope you will join me on this incredibly special night.

WHY THE BRANDYWINE RIVER MUSEUM OF ART 

The woods of Chadds Ford are the backdrop of some of my favorite memories as a kid.  My Mom would tie a safety pin to a twig, hand us two slices of ham, and my brother Chris and I would go out fishing in the creek for the day.  We had better luck with our hands but the memories of splashing around in the crisp waters leading to the Brandywine River stuck with both of us.  Every time I go to the Brandywine River Museum of Art I am reminded of the colors, landscapes, and light of my childhood through the egg tempera masterpieces of Andrew Wyeth.

The summer scenes Andrew depicted also mimic the memories I have of our family cottage perched on a cliff off the coast of Maine.  Every summer we would pack into my grandfather’s station wagon and make the eleven-hour drive to the island cottage his parents bought in 1962.  The achs and pains of the long ride were well worth it to wake up to breakfast overlooking the foggy sound. The racket of lobster boat captains pulling up their morning catch as their wake gently crashed along the rocky shoreline would be our alarm clock for the next two weeks.  No painting better captures this scene than Andrew Wyeth’s pensive figure in On the Edge, 2001.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art couldn’t be a more perfect reflection of my journey coming full circle back to my home town.  Growing up, I would go on field trips with my Mom and her Patton Middle School art classes. At home, I would dream about one day having my artwork hanging on the gallery walls next to Andrew’s golden braided Helga.  

In March, my canvas will be a group of women, my paint will be clothing from my atelier, and the art will be each woman exuding self-confidence and acceptance.

VOTES FOR WOMEN : A VISUAL HISTORY

From February 1st - June 7th, 2020 the new exhibit Votes For Women: A Visual History will be open to the public at Brandywine River Museum of Art.

“The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which granted women the right to vote—although many voting struggles persisted for minority groups. The long road to women’s suffrage, spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, played out very differently from political movements today. In the absence of televised and digital media, the suffragists spread their message through magazines, political cartoons, posters, plays, parades, and even through fashion. This exhibition will examine the visual culture of the suffrage movement, revealing how the “look” of women’s rights developed along with the important visual strategies that propelled the campaign.” -Votes for Women Statement from the Brandywine River Museum.

Dress became a statement of its own in the early stages of the suffragette movement.  Instead of embracing masculine attire suffragettes adopted a polished and feminine look.  As if to say “We are not denouncing our femininity, we embrace it, and demand a seat at the table because of it.”  The collection embodies many of the mantras of the suffragette movement by showing polished yet comfortable clothing.

THE COLLECTION 

Having an atelier in the heart of historic Unionville for the past two years has given me the privilege of getting to know the women that live, work, teach, and create in this community.  I have spent my time meticulously crafting styles that look beautiful, flatter women of all ages and sizes, and fit into each of their lifestyles. Each garment in this collection was designed for a woman in my atelier.  

From the Stephanie Cape, designed to function on and off of horseback to the Infinity Dress, designed for Abby to elevate a t-shirt into something that she could wear with jeans or with an evening skirt, each piece tells a story.  The collection is inspired by the moment I saw each client in her final fitting in my atelier, the moment when she put the garment on and joy filled the room. Or in the case of my Mother, when she walked out of the dressing room in her gown to show my Dad and for the first time in his life was completely and utterly speechless.

THE EVENT 

To showcase the collection, I will utilize the mesmerizing design of the museum itself, using the cobblestone curves and windows as a sunset backdrop of the runway presentation.  This “Night at the Museum” will not only be a runway to showcase my latest creations, but I will be inviting all of my clients to wear the pieces I have created for them in my atelier.  I hope that everyone in attendance will join me after the show for a cocktail reception at the museum to take a closer look at the collection and view the special exhibitions.

VISIT THE ATELIER

After the runway show I will be holding appointments at the shop to show the collection directly to you. This will give me the opportunity to sit down and speak with you about each piece in the collection, the colors I am offering this season, and give you the chance to try the pieces on yourself.

I see this as a great opportunity for us to get to know each other, what fit concerns you have, and see what pieces would work best in your wardrobe. Personally I think you should have every piece but I’m a little biased.

I cannot wait for you to see it!

Love,

David