Artful dressing

BY BARBARA MCCONAGHY
PHOTOGRAPHED BY ZAID HAMID AT THE PHILLIPS COLLECTION WASHINGTON DC

Fashion and art have always had a special connection, so much so that the lines between the two often blur, creating a confl uence of admiration, inspiration, and conceptual "borrowing" that has, through the ages, driven Renaissance to Dada, and Fall's latest "new black" to Spring's trendiest "must have." Fashion is art, art is fashion; both are ever-changing, yet, both leave indelible echoes which bounce infi nitely within our collective notions of taste and style.

Now enter the collectors and patrons-those who understand this dance. They're the chic and fashionable from business, society and the entertainment world, who fervently support both their favorite artists and fashion brands. Our spring fashion shoot was inspired by all these factors, and exhibits that, within this enduring dalliance, Spring 2006 is not only the "year of the dress," but also the year of artful dressing.

"I'm doing a painting of oarsmen, which I've been itching to do for a long time. I'm not ge ing any younger, and I didn't want to defer this little festivity which later on I won't any longer be able to aff ord; already it's very diffi cult…" -Pierre-Auguste Renoir in a letter to Paul Berard﹐ 1880

"The look is clean, modern urban dresses that can go out for cocktails, yet still bring out your inner Goddess."

Celebrating the return of The Phillips Collection's best known work, Pierre-Auguste Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party" (1880-1881) is superimposed with the collection's Deputy Director, Rich Rutledge and members of The Gala Committ ee at The Phillips Collection, all dressed in Spring 2006 fashion from Neiman Marcus. Women's fashion styled by Sandy Grabowski, assistant public relations director. Menswear styled by Derek Hill, menswear specialist of Neiman Marcus

Yun, wearing a Harkham blue blush chiffon dress with underlining burgundy waist sash, Marie Chavez gold long earrings with green crystal and light blue stone, both by URBAN CHIC; Etro multi-colored green/blue/ burgundy/pink shaw, NEIMAN MARCUS.

Yun, wearing Robert Danes coral chiff on evening gown, Jose& Marie Barrera long bohemian orange pink earrings, both SAKS JANDEL; Manolo Blahnik multi-colored pointed toe heels with colored accent, NEIMAN MARCUS. Laura Peterson, wearing blue feathered strapless evening gown, Dolce & Gabbana gold metallic sling back heels with cage, both NEIMAN MARCUS; Jose & Marie Barrera butterfl y long crystal earrings, SAKS JANDEL.

Yun, wearing Phillip Lim natural dress in white with gold rope straps, MULEH.	Laura, wearing a Shawn Ray Fons tier chiff on bohem print multicolored orange, green, yellow and brown evening dress, Ciner gold multi-colored coin earrings, both by SAKS JANDEL; Enzo Angiolini Eaomani bronze snake heels, BLOOMINGDALE'S.

Laura, wearing 3.1 Phillip Lim blue with gold rope dress, MULEH; Prada gold cork platforms, NEIMAN MARCUS. Yun, wearing a 3.1 Phillip Lim gold rope dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim gold beaded handbag, MULEH; Anne Klein gold platform sandals, NEIMAN MARCUS.	Laura, wearing a Shawn Ray Fons tLaura, wearing Gucci A-strap short black dress with cream flowered print and off-white platform cage sling back heels, both by GUCCI; black plastic rope necklace, NEIMAN MARCUS.

Yun, wearing Laundry strapless brown multi-colored dress, BLOOMINGDALE'S. Laura Peterson, wearing Laundry multi-colored brown/blue, green and orange halter dress, Bloomingdale's cream/green/ brown netted wooden necklace, Enzo Angiolini Eadoni gold medred leather platforms, all BLOOMINGDALE'S.

Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party conveys the light-hearted leisurely mood of the Maison Fournaise, while refl ecting the character of mid-to late-nineteenth century French social structure. The restaurant welcomed customers of many classes including bourgeois businessmen, society women, artists, actresses, writers, critics and, with the new, shorter work week-a result of the Industrial Revolution- seamstresses and shop girls.

Left hand photo (left to right, including persons in painting): 1. Richard Rutledge, wearing Ermenegildo Zegna white linen jacket, Armani lavender collared shirt, Brioni black with white polka dot bow-tie, Duchamp black with white polka dots pocket square, all NEIMAN MARCUS. 2. Caroline Cunningham, wearing an Akris black zip-down front shortsleeve blouse, Armani Collezioni black dress pants, and Lambertson Truex zebra doctor handbag, all NEIMAN MARCUS; Bloomingdale's black beaded necklace, Ellen Tracy solid black beaded necklace, and Ellen Tracy black tassel earrings; all BLOOMINGDALE'S. 3. Peggy Hunter, wearing Liancarlo Couture black patterned dress with gray and white detail, NEIMAN MARCUS. 4. George Vradenburg, wearing Prada black outerwear jacket, Prada Sport white zipper down long-sleeved polo, Zanella white linen trousers, Gucci black signature boating shoes, all NEIMAN MARCUS. 5. Trish Vradenburg, wearing Dolce & Gabbana white cotton jacket, Agnona black skirt, NEIMAN MARCUS; Via Spiga black and white sling back pumps, Bloomingdale's gold with black beaded chandalier earrings, BLOOMINGDALE'S. 6 & 7. In painting: Man in top hat (6) is editor of the Gazette des Beaux-Arts, Charles Ephrussi, who speaks with a younger man wearing a more casual brown coat and cap who may be Jules Laforgue (7), the poet, critic, and personal secretary to Ephrussi. 8 & 9. In painting: Actress Angèle and the Italian journalist Maggiolo. 10, 11 & 12. In painting: Sporting boaters' hats are the artist Paul Lhote (10) and the bureaucrat Eugène Pierre Lestringez (no. 11). These close friends of Renoir, often modeled for his paintings, and seem to be fl irting with the fashionably dressed, famous actress Jeanne Samary (no. 12).

13. Brian Dailey, wearing a deep chocolate pinstripe suit jacket and matching pants, a white with green blue pinstriped collared shirt and a white pocket square all from Ermenegildo Zegna and an Etro multi-colored black/green/pink/yellow striped tie, all NEIMAN MARCUS. Right hand painting (left to right) 1. Patricia Sagon, wearing Rena Lange black and white checkered suit jacket, NEIMAN MARCUS. 2. Karyn Frist, wearing Dolce & Gabbana black textured blazer suit jacket and skirt, NEIMAN MARCUS. 3. In painting: smiling woman leaning on the railing thought to be Alphonsine Fournaise, the daughter of the proprietor. 4. Vicki Sant, wearing Akris white dress slacks, NEIMAN MARCUS. 5. Jeannie Rutherfoord, wearing Armani Collezioni white suit jacket with skirt, Rena Lange black v-neck short sleeved blouse, Lambertson Truex black shiny doctor bag, all NEIMAN MARCUS. 6. Mike Connors, wearing Prada black suit jacket, Georgio Armani black pinstripe pants, Prada pink polo shirt, all NEIMAN MARCUS. 7. Julie Connors, wearing Oscar de la Renta white dress with black print, Oscar de la Renta black cardigan sweater, Kate Spade black espadrilles, all NEIMAN MARCUS; Christian Roth black and white sunglasses, BLINK. 8. Don Beyer, wearing Armani plaid jacket, Brioni black shirt, Zanella white slacks, multi-colored polka dot pocket square, all NEIMAN MARCUS. 9. Megan Beyer, wearing St. John by Marie Gray white suit jacket with black detail, Carmen Marc Valvo black sheer pleated skirt, all NEIMAN MARCUS; Jose & Marie Barrera light blue crystal butterfl y long earrings, SAKS JANDEL.

Save de Date
April 7
Join The Phillips Collection and Washington Life at the gallery’s Spring 2006 black-tie dinner. Tickets, $1000; Contact/ticket buying information (202) 387-2151 x315

April 15
The exhibition “The Renoir Returns: A Celebration of Masterworks at the Phillips Collection,” featuring “Luncheon of the Boating Party,” opens to the public at The Phillips Collection. 1600 21st St., N.W.; (202) 387-2151, www.phillipscollection.org

Produced and styled by Barbara McConaghy. Fashion assistant and editorial credit by Elizabeth Moon. Photographed by Zaid Hamid, Coordinated by Allison Signorelli the Phillips Collection gala coordinator and Joelle Seligson the publicist for The Phillips Collection, Occasions Caterer Matt Zapalla,

TOKA Salon and Spa hair designer Mazir Ozturk, T.H.E. Artist Agency for makeup artist Anita Bahramy and for models Yun and Laura Peterson. Special thanks to Neiman Marcus, Saks Jandel, Muleh, Blink, Urban Chic and Gucci.