Cecil Beaton Party

On Thursday 16th October, we will host a Cecil Beaton Party on Hawarden Estate, this will be styled as though it were an actual Cecil party from the 1930s, which were seriously cool parties.

Over the course of the evening, guests can get up close with the family archive and enjoy an evening of celebration and stimulation of new conversations and connections informed by his legacy.

Cecil became as famous as the people he photographed. His biographer commented: ‘He advanced the role of the photographer from being a man who arrived at the trademan’s entrance to arriving at the front door and very often staying for lunch.’ In fact, he was a successful designer, artist, writer, as well as a photographer. Whatever the latest project – from a fashion shoot for Vogue to designing costumes for Hollywood films like My Fair Lady and Gigi – Cecil applied his unerring instinct for the theatrical and the beautiful.

Through his family connection, the Cecil Beaton archive at Hawarden survives as a trove of personal memories, including photograph albums, scrapbooks, drawings, paintings and ephemera. Like all family collections, the archive tells a story of loving relationships and private enjoyments.

Tickets are £40 per person.

Timings

Please arrive at 6pm unless you would like a guided tour of the exhibition which will begin at 5pm. The event will finish at 9pm.

Included in your ticket

• Access to a guided tour of the Cecil Beaton exhibition, which will begin at 5pm.

• A talk by Dr. Helen Leahy.

• Food over the course of the evening.

• A welcome drink and a drink to toast.