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 world which says a lot, coming from a doyenne of the New York Fashion Week schedule. You might not think of famous authors as the rowdiest group of people, but Truman Capote didnt fit into any stereotypes. Myra Scheer, an employee and frequent visitor to the club explained: One of the regulars at the club was Liz Taylor, the star of films like Cleopatra and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and when she decided that she wanted to have her birthday party at Studio 54 she had one very specific request - she wanted the whole place filled with flowers. Those lucky enough to be in attendance are spotted in the background, watching with drinks in hand. Dancers showcase a performance on metallic cushions amid a curious crowd at a New Years Eve party. The night peaked with Diana Ross singing to Rubell and Schrager from the DJ booth. She wrote: Studio 54 wasnt just the most banging party in Manhattan because someone unlocked the doors and tossed on a mixtape. Lowen recognized some of the celebrities in the photos, but she wasnt sure what exactly her brothers archives contained or its value to the world. Elizabeth Taylor shimmering in a glamorous iridescent bodysuit while chatting to legendary fashion designer Halston. In the 2018 documentary about Studio 54, footage of Rubell shows the co-owner discussing how one night he simply thought to place velvet ropes outside the club that revelers instinctively got in line. Unfortunately, Studio 54 came up against some problems during its successful run. Bianca Jagger appears on horseback for her birthday. Studio 54 co-owner Steve Rubell stands in his office, which he claimed was ransacked by federal agents looking for drugs, in 1978. This photograph was taken at the first Halloween party and shows two men dressed in taboo fetish gear, one man miming cutting the other. On finding Studio 54s books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. It could be intoxicating to get into Studio 54 after standing outside for days, or maybe even weeks. Regardless of the fact that Jagger just took the horse for a spin whether it was just once around the Studio or all the way down the block, it's telling that there was a horse in the club. Here he is pictured alongside Liza Minnelli and Bianca Jagger at the New Years Eve party of 1977. 22 photos that show the grit and the glamour of Studio 54, New York City's most infamous club. Right: A costumed partygoer hits the dance floor in 1981. Even if someone made it into the club that doesnt mean they were allowed to go to the basement because thats were celebrities and the super wealthy went to have sex. Andy Warhol once said "It's a dictatorship at the door and a democracy on the dance floor." Studio 54 furthers the nostalgia that people still have about '70s New York, as pointed out by Goldberger, a period of time that has been revisited recently, from Patti Smith's book Just Kids to . Tabs gifs by your friend Martini Ambassador. The nightclub was typically packed full of people. When she wasnt whipping her legs through the air to the music, she was brushing shoulders with the countrys most famous celebrities. At Studio 54, anyone with a good attitude (and good style) was welcome. For major actresses like these, visiting Studio 54 was a must while in New York City. Having been used as a radio and television studio for CBS, the building was still full of TV sets and lighting equipment when Steve Rubell transformed it into a place for drinks, music and dancing. But, thanks to photographers who were in the right place at the right time, we can get glimpses of what a crazy night out at Studio 54 was truly like. 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. In an interview with The Guardian Blondie singer Debbie Harry tried to set the record straight about how often she went to Studio 54. . At a wild place like Studio 54, there werent lots of rules about what to wear or who to be. When agents got ahold of the clubs books they noticed that rather than keep two sets of books the co-owners simply had a column labeled skim in order to see track of all the money they were stealing. As the main party starter at Studio 54 it was up to Steve Rubell to keep everyone happy. Simply by virtue of being outside the club someone like Streisand could paint themselves as a cool celebrity rather than a stodgy A-lister who sat in their penthouse reading Russian literature all not. The entire night went off around midnight Bianca Jagger made her way through the club on the back of a white stallion. A playful, intimate moment between a pair of partygoers, circa 1978. After seeing Sweeney Todd on Broadway the owners decided to place a large automated bridge in the balcony of the club so dancers on the second floor could travel to the other side of the building without having to cross the dance floor. One close friend of Rubell's notes that the co-owner thought that he would never be caught. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. It took owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager just six weeks to . Even though these two co-owners couldnt be any more different - Schrager was a straight lawyer and Rubell was an out gay restaurant owner - they were the perfect pair to run Studio 54. (The pair later married but not until 2001). 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. (AP Photo/Quinto) Date: 02/04/1979. Frontman for Sly and the Family Stone in a flashy ensemble. Even if you werent having sex with someone every night, you felt like you could, says former editor of Interview, Bob Colacello. They had lights rigged so there was a sunrise and a sunset. With the help of their financial backer the two were able to hire enough people to rebuild the inside of the theater, add the lights and designs, and paint the entire thing within six weeks. It turns out that she wasn't really into that kind of adulation. Schrager was released on $50,000 bond and the disco was open the next night. This would not be the only time the nightclub had a horse on its premises, nor would it be the only animal ever invited inside. 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. 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. For many guests (celebrity or not), Studio 54 was a place to dance, discover, and dip into the unknown. A glitter-covered go-go dancer sways in a G-string. Left: A topless woman in a peacock feather headdress dances at Studio 54's Halloween party in 1977. Once the show came to an end the cast had to have somewhere to go - and they went to the Studio. For a brief period of time Studio 54 changed the pace of New York night life. Once you see the pictures of the famous faces and outrageous antics that took place inside, it wont be too surprising that Studio 54 was able to reach such high success. It wasnt until a few years later that Rubell would get busted for tax evasion and end up in jail. Even so, it gave visitors a rush of adrenaline to watch them twirl in the air from below. Club founders Ian Schrager and . Four women in shimmery dresses sit in the club's lounge area. Under the helm of owners Ian Schrager and Steve Rubell, Studio 54 became globally renowned as a cultural institution for its lavish, over-the-top spectacles and sartorial displays. This type of thing wouldnt have been allowed in just any nightclub. Giseles Summer Outfit Is The Epitome Of Rich Mom Energy, 7 Small Habits That Will Give Your Emotional Wellbeing A Serious Boost, According To An Expert, First The Princess Of Wales, Now The Roys Are Obsessed With This Stealth-Wealth Handbag Brand, 8 Things To Know About Tyrell Hampton, NYC Photographer & TikTok Star With Dua Lipa On Speed Dial. They seized garbage bags full of cash from hidden areas and discovered multiple sets of financial books in the ceiling panels. 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. The last thing she wanted was for her secret life to become known to the world. In fact, she sang that night with Liza Minnelli. The two went into the basement where she had the bartender handcuff her to a pipe for some extra naughty fun. Harry was at 54, she was the Mudd Club, and she was at CBGBs. 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. Rubell was so excited by her presence on the dance floor that he invited to come any night, telling her, I like to see you here. Unlike Ron Galellas work which has been exhibited and is collected as fine art after Spatz died in 2003 the archive of images was inherited by his younger sister, Amy Lowen, and packed away in filing cabinets in her Kentucky home. 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. Date: 11/03/1979. Relive some of Studio 54's most classic nights in the gallery above. Debbie Harry of Blondie arrives with her friends to the nightclub in 1981. The two had funneled nearly $3 million in less than two years. Liza Minnelli and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Important for the co-owners to make the evening special. Other photographers didnt capture that. The man who made it famous, Steve Rubell, was only in charge from 1977 to 1980. Supposedly one evening a countess showed up to the club and took a liking to one of the bartenders. They even put up a huge (4 feet) model of the game right over the dancing patrons. Even after the original owners went to prison for skimming millions of dollars, the club stayed open until 1990, although the magic of the first years never returned. Cher wasnt the wildest partier on the scene, but she was known for being an independent and forward-thinking individual who didnt shy away from a good time. The thing he appreciated was someone being different. Rubell and his partner Ian Schrager created a living fantasy in the club, but it cost a lot of money to get off the ground. Unfortunately, the bartender was so out of his gourd on goofballs that he forgot to unlock the cuffs when the two were finished and left her in the basement before going back to work. The whole thing cost them $400,000 - thats $1,690,376.24 in 2019. Diana Ross, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Cher, Truman . Multiple people tried to purchase the theater - which was owned by CBS at the time - but it was Rubell and Schrager who won the bid. Model Bianca Jagger holds doves at a party thrown by fashion designer Halston in 1977. Model Bianca Jagger, in an off-the-shoulder number, is seen riding a white horse at the entrance of the club. The club was a tabloid fixture. Margaret Trudeau was the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister at the time, and she loved to let loose. From the moment it opened its doors in 1977, the era-defining club was, says writer Bob Colacello in Rizzoli's Studio 54, "a sociological phenomenon and a historical event." In 1977, at the height of the disco craze, a club opened at 254 West 54th Street in New York City. The club was his concept of 15 minutes of fame to the extreme. Its likely that the truth is somewhere between to the two claims. One of Warhols former workers discussed the artists love of the club, saying: When it came time to actually build the nightclub, the co-owners went outside the normal means of construction and enlisted people who wouldnt just give them the same ol same ol. There was no written rule about the dress code, it was left up to his subjective taste. Usually these special nights happened when someone wanted something specific for their birthday. 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Desktop_Feed_Center1_728x90_Top, 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Mobile_Feed_Center2_300x250, 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Mobile_Feed_Center3_300x250, 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Desktop_Feed_Center2_728x90, 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Desktop_Feed_Center3_728x90, 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Desktop_Feed_Center4_728x90, 322166814/iacpl-test.www.ask.com/Ask_Desktop_Feed_Center5_728x90, The Top Reasons to Get an Amazon Prime Video Subscription, Longtime Lovebirds: 14 Inspiring Hollywood Relationships. The agents entered the office seeking links to organized crime and arrested his partner Ian Schrager after reportedly finding cocaine among some papers he was carrying. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. Nightlife anywhere was sure to have drugs involved were talking about the 1970s, here. Even though it was a well planned business venture, Studio 54 was being constructed right up until the opening day. In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and nightclub Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th Street. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. One club goer claimed that a doctor was hanging outside the club with everyone and that he came prepared with a huge bottle of Quaaludes: While some clubs existed to create the a party atmosphere, Studio 54 was meant to represent something special a place where everyone was welcome regardless of who they were out on the streets. It wasnt just actors and singers who showed up to party at Studio 54 sometimes it was political figures. Right: Clubgoers inhale nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) on the dance floor during the 1977 Halloween party. It was more than just a club, it was a place that gave magic to a city that desperately needed it in an era when gas prices were rising and people were losing their jobs. Doormen didnt let just anyone inside, but if you were lucky, you could get into the club without having connections in high places. Of course, playing it cool was a necessity when inside the club. Studio 54 wasand, arguably, remainsthe world's most renowned and legendary disco. Clubgoers dance amid light towers on the dance floor at Studio 54 on May 15 . Whether it's 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. Years after this photo was taken, the diaries of Andy Warhol were released and they didn't paint Bianca in a kind light. Here we see one of those notable moments where an elderly woman is dancing with a young man. It happens to the best of us. America in 1977 was ripe for something fun, glamorous and a bit risque. Clubs have been using this idea for years. The manufacturers seemed to think their choice of venue was appropriate enough since all the sounds and colorful lights reminded them of disco. By this time, the club had cemented its reputation as a popular place for celebrities, and Stallone was one more added to the list. Nothing would compare to the nightclubs glory years in the 1970s and 80s. The photographic work of Dustin PIttman -- the focus of this feature . When photos of the night appeared in the paper the next day everyone had to be at the club. A club-goer exposes a bare chest, garters (with keys attached to them), and a mask as a woman pops her gum and a man seduces the camera in his costume. A costumed party-goer at a Halloween event sporting a platinum blonde wig, 18th-century-inspired face paint, lace bustier, and white bow tie. Its disco days, though, were short-lived and the club closed its doors in 1980 these archival photos are a snapshot that only a lucky few had the pleasure of experiencing. Neither the way he captured it nor the period is replaceable., Lowen says she hopes to exhibit the work at some point, to share it with a wider audience and expose his legacy. A guaranteed internet breaker, if it had been invented. However, its likely that the club wouldnt have made the front page of the post if it werent for Cher. Co-owner Ian Schrager said it was like standing on stardust, and one club goer said: Joanne Horowitz was the clubs publicist and she played a major part at getting celebrities through the door. Christopher had sold Miramax on a Boogie Nights-type story about a clueless New Jersey kid named Shane (Ryan Phillippe) who was drawn to the flame that was Studio 54 in the late 1970s, when good . Rather than hand out the clothing at the door of raffling them off, the club owners just tossed the clothing items off the balcony which allowed for anyone who wanted one of the expensive pieces to simply reach out and grab it. The moon with a coke spoon hanging over the dance floor along with a giant sign announcing that dancers were, yes, in Studio 54 hooked to rigging material and hung from the ceiling so dancers could grind the night away on top of the designs if thy so felt like it. One of the most fascinating aspects of Studio 54 is the way that it allowed normal people to rub elbows with famous people. Capote was an occasional visitor to Studio 54 and got down with the best of them. Show the grit and the disco was open the next night frontman for Sly and the Stone. Where an elderly woman is dancing with a young man left: a topless woman a! Years Eve party for Sly and the Family Stone in a flashy ensemble flashy ensemble topless in! 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