Pebble Beach Passion for Fashion

Words: Nic Jimenez | Photos: Ernesto Che and Drew Larrigan

(Pebble Beach, CA) What do you wear when you are at the biggest Automotive party in the world? The kind of party held on the greenest, most well manicured lawns at this year’s 61st annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. How do you want to look when rubbing shoulders with the likes of Sir Richard Branson, Jay Leno, Horacio Pagani, Arnold Schwarzenegger and corporate heads from Ferrari, Bugatti, and McLaren?

When walking amongst a global reunion of Ferrari 250 GTO’s you can’t help but feel the Pebble Beach pedigree, the Automotive provenance, and the 50 year history associated with these irreplaceable Ferrari race cars. Today, these cars are said to be worth about nearly 25 million dollars each. Being surrounded by cars like this inspires us to emulate beauty and sophistication in everything we do. The passion for fashion comes out right alongside the passion for automotive.

One of our favorite things about the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (aside from the cars) is the crowd. The people watching is unparalleled anywhere. This year, people were splendid and quite enthusiastic about their A-Game, Sunday “Fit”.

The view off the cliffs from the golf course at Pebble Beach is breathtaking and it is easy to get swept up into the formal, Gatsby feel as your feet surf on the fairways among the most beautiful Automobiles ever made. We saw fabrics of all sorts, linen, rayon, wool, silk, and cashmere. There is no better place in the world to wear a scarf, suspenders, pocketsquare, or a shawl.

Then, of course, there are the hats! They are tough to ignore and could obstruct any camera. If there is ever a day in the year when a big hat is needed, it is not on a foggy Monterey morning like this one. However, the hats at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance have always added a european feel and a touch of elegance.

Some hats were more superfluous than the next. We found it is quite easy to be consumed by this sartorial Sunday showcase.

Another throwback detail to most of these elegant ensembles is fur. Mink, Fox, Rabbit …Chinchilla? Whether real or not we can’t confirm but we can say that among highly regarded Automobiles from the 1920’s and 1930’s this furry flamboyant look and feel fit just right. Additionally, we couldn’t believe where a lot of these folks lived. We met people from Sweden, England, Italy, Argentina, Mexico, and Canada. Many had traveled a long way just to be here for this year’s festivities on the Monterey Peninsula.

What is the ultimate accessory you might ask? Well, how about a talking parrot on your shoulder or tea cup sized pup in a Hermes or Louis Vuitton handbag? Maybe a Bichon Frise, dressed in a Scuderia Ferrari race suit, named Enzo, this pup was quite the showshopper!

Nothing says “I’m here to party, but I want to be formal” like a plastic Champagne flute, bow ties, and a tuxedo t-shirt.

The crew at MINI were swimmingly charismatic, donning tuxedos with tails, sunglasses, and high top Chuck Taylor Converse. It’s only necessary when showing a Goodwood MINI with the interior designed by Rolls Royce.

We stumbled onto this intimate moment. Sitting just 10 feet from a multi million dollar Mercedes, a private Pebble Beach picnic. This friendly couple enjoying champage, all smiles – people watching and relaxing at the end of this weeklong gathering.