On a golden evening in West Hollywood this week, Toteme and CULTURED welcomed a well-coiffed cross-section of art and style figures to Toteme’s Melrose Avenue outpost—an intimate sunset gathering that set the tone for the week ahead. With a full array of looks primed for curious shoppers, flutes of Ruinart champagne on all sides, and a discernibly Swedish throughline to the art on view throughout the boutique, the pre-fair toast was a reminder that good design, like good company, speaks volumes.
The Occasion: A Frieze-week toast hosted by Toteme and CULTURED, bringing together their creative communities for a relaxed pre-fair pause—where the ready-to-wear offering was as elegant as the guests.
The Scene: Guests drifted through Toteme’s Los Angeles flagship, where sculptural lines and soft light are accompanied by a collection, curated by the Toteme founders, of artworks by Swedish women artists. Among the mix, attendees may have spotted a metal mesh sculpture by Barbro Bäckström, a 1960s polar bear sculpture by Lisa Larson, and a series of photographs by contemporary artist Alina Chaiderov.
The Locale: Toteme’s West Hollywood outpost on Melrose Avenue—an architectural study in space, material, and proportion—served as a prime backdrop for a night celebrating both the founding duo’s championship of art, design, and boundary-pushing style.
The Crowd: Guests across the worlds of art and style included fashion tastemakers Marta Cygan, Chriselle Lim, and Jill Wallace; arts patrons Christine Wuerfel-Stauss and Michelle Rubell; interior designers Martha Mulholland, Claudia Afshar, Elizabeth Law, Joy Sauvage, and Sarah Solis; dealers Olivia Barrett and Esther Kim Varet; artists Emma Webster, Ferrari Sheppard, Conny Maier, and Angela Robins; arts leader Yana Peel; models Juliette Labelle and Breanna Box; and stylists Lauren Preston, Rebecca Ramsey, Jen Azoulay, and Ali Pew.
Food and Drink: Ruinart champagne and ice-cold martinis (with Grey Goose vodka, of course) made the rounds on silver trays—a pristine accompaniment to the Toteme looks that graced the space.
Parting Gift: CULTURED‘s latest release is now on newsstands and online—the Entertainers Issue—was offered to guests as a final take-home flourish.
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