It’s fitting that Louisiana, long home to casts of colorful characters, claims the late design legend Geoffrey Beene, who grew up in rural Haynesville. Beene went on to study fashion in Los Angeles, New York, and Paris, and founded his eponymous brand in 1963. His impeccably tailored garments won every major accolade, including eight Coty Awards, and drew fans such as Lady Bird Johnson and Glenn Close. “A Southern gentleman to his core, he was greatly influenced by his heritage and love of Louisiana,” says Michael E. Mamp, director and curator of the LSU Textile & Costume Museum. “He repeatedly used familiar flowers of the South, such as camellias and magnolias, as well as fabrics such as seersucker, linen, and cotton, and familiar prints of the South, such as gingham, polka dots, and checks.” A tribute to that heritage, Coming Home: Geoffrey Beene, at the museum in Baton Rouge, runs until early 2025 and features ensembles from a private collection paired with sketches that illustrate the broad strokes of his forty-year career.
Southern Agenda