Even if Bowie was in the normal person phase of his career, he was always looking for new sounds. He captured it fantastically the fun and wackiness, the sweetness. He saw the club as a place where people became objects rather than something flesh and blood. On finding Studio 54s books, it was discovered that a skim was in operation on up to 80% of the profits. On April 26, 1977, Studio 54 opened its doors and introduced the world to a new era of nightlife. The spectacle is complete with their revealing outfits, but by Studio 54 standards, their dress is modest. Once inside people were allowed to be whoever they wanted to be, cutting loose and grooving with everyone, it was the place to go when someone needed to escape. 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. Life of a party (from left): Halston, Bianca Jagger, Jack Haley Jr and wife, Liza Minnelli and Andy Warhol. In this 1978 picture, crowds line up for entry into Manhattan's renowned disco and nightclub Studio 54, located at 254 West 54th Street. 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. In this picture, women pose on top of giant reflective pillows in the middle of the crowd. Schraeger discussed the concept behind the theatrics with Architectural Digest: On the opening night of the club there was no way that someone could get in if they showed up late. 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. Jupiter's exhibit, which opened last . This wouldnt be the only time Studio 54 went above and beyond for New Years. Actress and model Margaux Hemingway celebrates her 24th birthday in style. Model and musician Grace Jones shimmers in a sparkling bodysuit as she performs at a New Years Eve party. Of course, playing it cool was a necessity when inside the club. Studio 54 produced many star-studded photo opportunities. Not only was he keen on wearing loose fitting Hawaiian shirts, but his down coat was packed to the gills with money and drugs. People spilled into the streets, they poured over the police barricades and they caused a traffic jam that was so bad that it supposedly kept Frank Sinatras limo from coming within walking distance from the club. Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager opened the legendary club in 1977, and while it only lasted under their management for three years, it quickly cemented itself as the quintessential enclave for celebrities, fashionable disco-lovers, and their favorite illicit activities. The club was a tabloid fixture. Thats right the King of Pop did indeed attend a gathering or two at Studio 54. Gene captured that part of history and the exuberance in a unique way. At the age of 7 she regularly partied at Studio 54, opening her up to the debauchery and drugs that were available to every other guest. 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. People would be upset about the cleanliness of the animal and whether or not something was wrong with the horse. There were no thoughts outside of "I want it, let's make it happen.". It wasnt just a place to get your rocks off and dance, it was free publicity. In its first year alone, it managed to pull in approximately $7 million dollars! Studio 54 had an intense door rule that made it hard for people to get in regardless of who you were. Studio 54 wasand, arguably, remainsthe world's most renowned and legendary disco. It was a place of great exclusivity, but also a place where one went to be photographed. At Studio 54, the taboo wasnt seen as undesirable instead, it was invited inside. Imagine walking into a nightclub and seeing this group of people having drinks you might not believe what youre seeing! After all, it seemed like everyone was doing it! Here, see a selection of exclusive images of Spatzs work for the first time. A couple relaxes next to a comatose man, 1978. Left: A performer on stilts manages to bust a move in 1981. No matter how wild the request the co-owners would make it happen. According to Dustin Pittman, a photographer who was there, the sickening smell of the flowers couldnt cover the scent of all the nefarious activity that happened there throughout the years: With Studio 54 being the hottest ticket in town for 33 months there was an overwhelming amount of people who wanted to get in. Yet, Studio 54s sensibility of inclusion and freedom lives on through the books, films and fashion that it has inspired ever since. At the Purple magazine party, a naked couple in a clear bathtub perform for an audience in 1977. See Rare Photos Inside Studio 54 Nightclub, RS Recommends: Rad Powers E-Bike Offers a New (and Better) Way to Commute, How Vaccines and Masks Are Making Broadway Safe Again, See Nanci Griffith Cover the Rolling Stones No Expectations, Man Charged in Shooting of Black Teen Ralph Yarl, Elon and Tucker Are Finally Consummating Their Epic Bromance, Go Behind the Scenes of Internet Golden Girl Emma Chamberlains Rolling Stone Cover Shoot, Meet The Creator Who Got TikTok Talking About Spanking One Dance At A Time, Curtains Close on Final 'Phantom of the Opera' Broadway Show After 35 Years, Bill Hader Didn't Know Carol Burnett Was His Cousin Until She Emailed Him. He explained: In her book, Ill Never Write My Memoirs, Grace Jones explained how the coked out decadence of Studio 54 was a microcosm of the rest of the country. After the studio was raided by IRS agents on December 14th, 1978 they grabbed garbage bags of money, financial documents and five ounces of cocaine. The nightclub threw an annual Halloween party and expected guests to wear the most shocking, over-the-top costumes that you could think of. As a mood-boosting tonic, and at a time when our festive calendars have been curtailed by social-distancing measures, Vogue delves into Studio 54s world of excess and extravagance. 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. The opening night of Studio 54 was huge mess. Here's why it became so famous. The photographer that captured the disco and diamond dust of legendary club Studio 54. Studio 54, both the interior and the street outside, allowed people to dance off their problems and be apart of something at the same time. Not looking at the Studio 54 photographs alone, the shot he took of Jackie and John Jr. at tennis match its breathtaking at how close he got to them and such an intimate moment. A guaranteed internet breaker, if it had been invented. Lorna Luft, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Truman Capote, and Paloma Picasso at Interview party at Studio 54 . Part of the lure of a nightclub like Studio 54 is that you went home with plenty of stories to tell about the wacky things you saw go down inside. He had . Cold hard cash, baby, even professional provocateur Andy Warhol. In front is famous artist Andy Warhol. In 1977, at the height of the disco craze, a club opened at 254 West 54th Street in New York City. But then Rubell came up with something brilliant - the velvet rope. Co-owner Ian Schrager told Variety: To work at Studio 54 a few things were required. A star-studded New Years Eve at Studio 54: Halston kissing Diana Ross, Jack Haley Jr with his wife Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, and, of course, Andy Warhol. Dancer Rudolf Nureyev initiates nine-year-old Ricky Schroder into the delights of disco dancing at Studio 54 in New York on Sunday, April 2, 1979. CREATIVE. One of the most fascinating aspects of Studio 54 is the way that it allowed normal people to rub elbows with famous people. As you can see, this was long before his dramatic transformation and eventual controversies in the public eye. In December of 1978, dozens of federal agents descended on the club after receiving a tip about their sneaky money practices. Come anytime you like, and youll get in. After the invitation she became an institution and showed up whenever she was free. After the tragedy of the Vietnam War and the distrust of the Nixon administration people just wanted to go out and forget about their troubles. Studio 54 co-owner Steve Rubell stands in his office, which he claimed was ransacked by federal agents looking for drugs, in 1978. Performers drop down from the ceiling, held by nothing but a cord connected to their legs. A woman dances near the Studio 54 light towers in 1977. Schrager said: The scene outside of the club could get nasty. However, even after the club had closed its doors the clean up crew would find party favors from the night before. 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. She told Vanity Fair: While everyone else in the club was getting blasted and dancing the night away, the people worked the lights, the DJ, and the sound people were very serious about making sure everyone had a good time. It wasnt just some other club - there was fog, wind, and snow. 29 Wild Photos From The Drug-Fueled Heyday Of Studio 54. Today there's no way that someone would just be able to ride through a club on a horse. A lot of people had to work together to make the night a success, from DJs to lightning technicians to the people who designed the sound system. It touched all your senses and left you wanting more. He began incorporating dance music and disco into his sound, and to find inspiration he went to the club and paid close attention. In the aftermath of the Vietnam war, Rubell said people were tired of being serious everyone went out and went wild. Other people openly smoked illegal substances or snorted drugs such as cocaine. 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. Pictured here are some of the A-list celebs who frequented the infamous, one-of-a-kind club known as Studio 54. Even though it was a well planned business venture, Studio 54 was being constructed right up until the opening day. And on its last night under initial management, Diana Ross serenaded Rubell and Schrader -- of course surrounded by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Farrah Fawcett, and Sylvester Stallone, among others. Giancarlo Giammetti told Vanity Fair that it only took a few days for the crew to get everything ready for a circus themed party: When Studio 54 first opened it was a way for the people of Manhattan to cut loose and do whatever they wanted. Not only did she love a good time, but she also knew how to master the dance floor. 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. Left: A dancer is swept into a spectrum of lights during 1978. He captured that era in my lifetime, and I hope someone is having that type of fun again. 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. Regularly attended by celebrities such as Andy Warhol, Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson . A man dressed up in leather and an NYU tank chats with his friend, decked out in pearls and garters as two other club-goers look on. For 33 short months the club was the height of cool in Manhattan, with club goers who managed to get past the velvet rope falling into a deluge of drugs and debauchery. Bokfrlaget Max Strm/Hasse Persson Studio 54. 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. 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