SCAD FASH Lacoste presents 'Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter'

LACOSTE, FRANCE — The Savannah College of Art and Design is honored to present Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter at the newly dedicated SCAD FASH Lacoste museum at the university’s flagship study-abroad location in Provence, France. Curated in close collaboration with Isabel’s husband, artist and noted fashion illustrator Ruben Toledo, A Love Letter is the first posthumous exhibition dedicated to the beloved Cuban-born American fashion designer and the debut presentation of her magnificent body of work in France. The exhibition launches the university’s celebratory year of activations and festivities honoring SCAD Lacoste’s mile-stone 20th anniversary as the premier global destination for art and design education and the cultural epicenter of the Luberon Valley.

Set in SCAD FASH Lacoste’s majestic and ex-quisitely preserved medieval caves, A Love Letter celebrates the remarkable designer’s expertise in techniques, textiles, form, and color, and is complemented by a large-scale installation of works by Ruben. The exhibition will also include precious personal mementos from the Toledos’ life together in a heartfelt tribute to one of fashion’s greatest love stories and the lasting influence of Isabel’s passion and ingenuity.

Born in Cuba in 1960, Isabel emigrated to New York with her family as a young girl. She met Ruben Toledo in high school, sparking a lifelong creative partnership. Inherently curious and artistic, Isabel was a self-taught fashion designer who began making clothes for herself as a teenager, soon appearing on international "Best Dressed" lists. She honed her approach during her time working under legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute where she had intimate access to garments by iconic couturiers such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, Christian Dior, and others.

Isabel presented her first namesake collection in 1985 to critical acclaim, quickly gaining a reputation as a "designer’s designer," a true original and artist foremost, maintaining a fully independent label dedicated to her craft and eschewing the limelight. Her design process was guided by emotions, rather than concepts, which she translated into elegant, impeccably crafted garments that are radical in their construction yet supremely wearable. This pure devotion to her work and honest artistic mindset led her to become one of the most respected and beloved fashion designers in the industry.

Over the decades, Isabel and Ruben Toledo’s creative process was intrinsically intertwined, with the pair acting as each other’s muse, advocate, confidant, and collaborator. Isabel’s place in fashion history was cemented when First Lady Michelle Obama selected a lemongrass Isabel Toledo ensemble to wear to President Obama’s inauguration in 2009, catapulting the designer to global recognition and acclaim. Isabel and Ruben Toledo have had a longstanding affinity and relationship with SCAD and in 2009, the university presented the Toledos with the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award to honor the couple’s exceptional accomplishments in art and design.

A celebratory reception will take place at SCAD Lacoste on Isabel’s birthday, Saturday, April 9, to commemorate the exhibition opening at SCAD FASH Lacoste. The festivities will also include the dedication of the new museum, the international extension of the university’s premier Atlanta venue showcasing the art of fashion and film.

SCAD students studying at Lacoste from a variety of the university’s top-ranked degree programs — including art history, fibers, interior design, foundation studies, and animation — will have the opportunity to marvel at Isabel’s work and engage with Ruben through conversations, class visits, and other programming.

Isabel Toledo: A Love Letter is on view April 12–June 10, 2022. SCAD FASH Lacoste is free and open to the public.

About Isabel Toledo

Isabel Toledo (née Izquierdo) was born in Cuba in 1960 and emigrated to the U.S. with her parents as a political refugee. Settling in West New York, Isabel met Ruben Toledo, also a Cuban refugee, in high school. Their artistic collaboration began immediately and continued as the relationship deepened. They married in 1984. The Toledos were embraced by the vibrant downtown New York art scene, befriending and collaborating with Andy Warhol, Klaus Nomi, Kim Hastreiter, and Antonio Lopez while drawing the international attention of Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Karl Lagerfeld, and Manolo Blahnik. Isabel, who had begun making all her own clothes as a teenager, appeared frequently on international "Best Dressed" lists.

In 1985, Isabel presented her first runway show, which was lauded by the New York fashion press. Her designs were sold at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, and Colette in Paris. Isabel was committed to making her designs available to women of all sizes and economic backgrounds, which inspired her to pursue numerous collaborations including with Target, Payless Shoe Source, and Lane Bryant. In 2005, Isabel and Ruben were jointly awarded a National Design Award by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. A year later Isabel was named creative director of Anne Klein, where she presented two well-received collections before returning to her own work as an independent designer. In 2009, SCAD presented Isabel and Ruben Toledo with the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors exceptional accomplishments in art and design.

Isabel’s garments and Ruben’s artwork have been featured in numerous museum exhibitions at venues including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the Smithsonian. In 2019 Isabel passed away after a brief illness. Ruben continues to archive her work and preserve her legacy. A Love Letter is the first exhibition dedicated to her work presented in France.

SCAD Lacoste

SCAD Lacoste is a residential study-abroad location in France, offering immersion in the history and culture of Provence. Course offerings each quarter are varied to apply to all SCAD areas of study and are taught by SCAD professors. Lacoste is a beautifully preserved medieval village and historic destination for artists, known for its extraordinary light and exquisite pastoral setting. SCAD Lacoste structures dating from the ninth to the 19th centuries feature cutting-edge contemporary amenities. SCAD Lacoste resources include a library, a gallery, a dining hall, and housing, as well as teaching studios dedicated to painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and digital imaging. Students interact with visiting artists, take field trips to museums and historic sites in the area, and have an opportunity to exhibit their work at a  local vernissage.

Celebrated artists and designers visit with SCAD Lacoste students throughout the year. Notable guests have included actor and designer John Malkovich; designer Bibhu Mohapatra; social media influencer, photographer, and inventor of the cinemagraph Jamie Beck of Ann Street Studio; interior designer and television host Genevieve Gorder; installation artist Hugo Dalton; design legend Ilse Crawford; chief creative officer of Shimoda Design Group Joey Shimoda; Vogue contributing editor Lynn Yaeger; and CFDA Fashion Award-winning designers Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters of Creatures of the Wind.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow.

SCAD enrolls more than 15,700 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 120 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD is No. 1 in the U.S., according to Art & Object’s 2021 Best Art Schools ranking, with additional top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. For the past four years, 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.