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Diana Vreeland, editor-in-chief of Vogue, coined the term “youthquake” in 1963 to describe the 1960′s fashion, musical and popular culture movement where longhaired, miniskirted and bell bottomed movement leaders bolted the pack and crashed out of the staid mold exemplified in the Eisenhower years.  On Tuesday, February 21, 2012, Mitchell Owens will present the surprisingly elegant and sophisticated interiors inspired by the trendsetters who dominated the fashion and music scene. The inspiration, perhaps from Haight-Ashbury hippy digs, made its appearance in ultra-chic, high-end New York apartments and London flats.

Although the trendsetters who occupied the stylish houses and apartments during this period may not have always been as chronologically young as their denim-clad comrades, their approach to living was perfectly attuned to the Age of Aquarius —- fresh, idiosyncratic and nose-thumbingly defiant of the historicism that had preceded them.  From photographer Cecil Beaton’s zesty revamp of his London townhouse to socialite Talitha Getty’s inspired renovation of a traditional riad in Marrakech, the youthquake interiors of the 1960′s rejected the well-mannered taste of the recent past and embraced the unexpected. The exuberance of the youthquake was reflected in bold blocks of colors in startling combinations, and the freewheeling use of innovative materials and shapes.

Lecturer: Mitchell Owens, Architectural Digest

Mitchell Owens, special projects editor for “Architectural Digest,” is in a particularly good position to offer insight into the youthquake.  He has served in editorial capacities for “Elle Décor” and “Architectural Digest.”  Mr. Owens has edited several books, including Elsie de Wolfe: The Birth of Modern Design (2005) and Jansen (2006) about Maison Jansen, the first international design firm.  Mr. Owens recently published “In House” (2009) and is writing a biography of Pauline Rothschild, the 1960s tastemaker. His insightful writings have also appeared in “The World of Interiors,” “Departures,” “Town and Country,” “Travel + Leisure,” “The New York Times” and the “International Herald Tribune.” 

Mini-Exhibit: Anything Mod (clothing, photos, record albums, posters, lamps) starts at 7:15 PM. Admission for SFDC members is $10.00 and $15.00 for non-members.  Please bring your SFDC badge to the door.  

Location: Koret Auditorium, de Young Museum.

Contact:  Rob Speaks at speaksr@aol.com.  Visit www.adafca.org for more info.