Inside a Grey Gardens-Set Lunch Celebrating Fashion Label Figue

This past Saturday afternoon, a lovely group of ladies gathered at East Hampton’s storied Grey Gardens estate to celebrate the label Figue. Like the setting itself, it’s a brand with a bit of history, albeit one that’s far more cheery. Plus, both are under the care of Liz Lange, so the location was quite the no-brainer.

Launched in 2012, Figue set out to outfit the island-hopping, Mediterranean meandering jet-set. A couple of years ago, Lange (who made her mark on the industry with an eponymous maternity label) swooped in at the height of the pandemic to help grow Figue into a brand that could dress both the beach-bound and the office-set. A couple of collectsions in, the offerings span eyelet tunic and pant co-ords and midi-skirts printed with bohemian roundels. If the pieces feel as though they’re imbued with a bit of the far-flung, it’s because they are—fabrics and craftspeople who help to create Figue’s collectsions span India to Bolivia.

“I thought it was a perfect backdrop for this lunch,” said Lange of Grey Gardens, “because probably one of the greatest fashion icons of all time, Little Edie, lived here.” Those in attendance included Kelly Bensimon, Jihae, Nneya Richard, Sophie Elgort, Rachelle Hruska, Sea Bensimon, Casey Fremont, Lili Buffett, and more. “There was something about the decadent kind of disarray of the way she dressed that I think does have a tie into Figue: A breaking of rules, a pattern on pattern, a more is more, a who's to say what's appropriate for what occasion. I say a caftan is appropriate at any occasion,” Lange added. In a Figue caftan that swirled with ’70s-esque florals, Lange led by example. Bensimon also wore one: a turquoise-embellished caftan inspired by Cher’s penchant for squash blossom necklaces. Most everyone else also wore prints and patterns courtesy of Figue; all in all, it made for a very photogenic meal.

The afternoon began with a cocktail hour within the hallowed walled gardens on the property, which predate the Beale family’s (by far, the most memorable inhabitants) ownership that began in 1924. Guests sipped on Wolffer wine rosé and enjoyed passed bites served atop trays splashed with prints from Figue’s most recent collectsion. Some had arrived fresh from Manhattan, others had hopped over from nearby hamlets, and all were incredibly excited to be there.

Cocktails were followed by a garden stroll over to a lunch table, set with linens from Figue’s forthcoming tabletop collectsion—layers of batik-style placemats with whipstitched edges and napkins of the same indigo/turquoise colors. Finishing it all off were as-big-as-your-hand peony blooms from Bridgehampton Florist.

“I really want it to be a brand that you don't just wear when you're in East Hampton,” said Lange over lunch, “‘but one you could wear to a luncheon in New York City or to a black-tie event or every month of the year, not just the summer and the vacation months.”

After a relaxing meal of poached halibut and asparagus prepared by The Culinistas, party-goers stuck around, soaking up the loveliness of the gardens before having to bid the beauty adieu. Leaving was made a little less dreary with the farewell goodie bags filled with Olivia Chantecaille products and hats from Figue’s latest collaboration with Tuluminati. Though one guest left with a bit more to carry; so inspired by the clothes, Hruska, who operates a boutique at Montauk’s Crowe’s Nest, took a collectsion of garments with her to stock her store’s shelves. From East Hampton to Montauk and beyond, have Figue, will travel!