“Douglas Little designed the most amusing lab to showcase his recently launched perfume line. As each of his scents is so natural you can drink them, he infused vodka shots with the parfum, amusing every one of the guests’ senses.”
Say hello to NYC’s Fifth Avenue’s most wanted window stylist. If you know the brand D.L. & Co. (think beautiful, very decadently boxed candles) then you will already by acquainted with the work of founder Douglas Little. What you may not know, however, is that the man is also a master of visual communication and storytelling. When Bette Midler throws her annual Halloween bash each year, it’s Douglas Little that gets the call to decorate. From styling the midnight supper, a tradition born by Caroline Astor to evoke the height and glamour of the Guilded Age in New York, to creating window displays for the likes of Van Cleef & Arpels to Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Jim Thompson. His artistic creations and holiday displays know how to wow a crowd. Specializing in the world of luxury, exclusively for The Chosen Club, he shares his top 10 secrets in how to create an incredible holiday display.
“Forty Five Ten’s Bold Move in Dallas”
“Forty Five Ten is working with Assouline on an 80-page book of portrait photography by Ruven Afandor. “The Eccentrics” will showcase such industry personalities as Iris Apfel, Donna Karan, Patrick McDonald, Douglas Little, Dita Von Teese, Kelly Wearstler and Erin Wasson.”
How to Throw a Halloween Party Like Bette Midler
It’s not just a bunch of hocus pocus.
Halloween is the perfect time of year for a costume party, and one of the most celebrated in New York City is Bette Midler’s annual Hulaween, a fundraiser for her charity the New York Restoration Project.
This year the theme is the “Witches Ball at the Haunted Hotel,” according to designer Douglas Little, who is lending his macabre aesthetic to the event for the sixth year.
We talked to Little about how he designed the space for Hulaween at the Waldorf Astoria, and how mere mortals can add some serious hocus pocus to their own All Hallows’ Eve celebrations.
A Sneak Peek Inside Bette Midler’s Hulaween Gala — It’s Pure Magic
Before the witches and wizards poured in, we spoke with designer Douglas Little who is the creative mastermind behind this legendary event. (Just wait until you see the witchy centerpieces.)
THIS YEAR’S GALA THEME IS THE WITCHES, WIZARDS & WARLOCKS BALL. WHAT WAS YOUR CREATIVE VISION FOR BRINGING THIS THEME TO LIFE, AND WHERE DID YOU FIND INSPIRATION?
The theme was inspired by a nod to vintage Halloween. Specifically, the Halloween that emerged in the 1920s through the 1950s.
During this time period, paper and party decor companies like Dennison and Beistle were introducing fun and easy ways to decorate for Halloween with their paper decorations. The decorations were built around the classic Halloween iconography of witches, pumpkins, ghosts, black cats and spiders. I have always loved the decorations that came out of this period as they have a charm and magic all of their own. I loved the idea of creating a unified theme with a classic Halloween icon “the witch” and allow the guests to interpret it in their own unique way. The “Divine Miss M” likes to see wit and whimsy in the party décor, so it was my job to take the witches idea and shake it up and give it the Bette Midler magic.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SHANNA SULLIVAN
Article By Alexandra Churchill of Martha Stewart Living
Inside Bette Midler’s Legendary Hulaween Bash
We spoke with designer Douglas Little about crafting the annual celebration, which benefits Midler’s New York Restoration Project
When it comes to Halloween, there’s a seemingly endless list of parties to attend—but Bette Midler’s Hulaween fête is certainly the one not to miss. Held annually to celebrate Midler’s New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a nonprofit that has been dedicated to bringing much-needed public green space to New Yorkers for more than two decades, this year’s celebration happens tonight at the Waldorf Astoria, hosted by Kathy Griffin. (Marc Jacobs will serve as the costume contest judge, and Darlene Love will be the music act.) We sat down with event designer Douglas Little, who’s been decorating the bash for years, to ask him about his inspiration for the party, as well as what advice he has for hosting your own. nyrp.org
Architectural Digest: How do you determine the theme each year?
Douglas Little: I usually start conjuring ideas early in the year and try to have them ready for Bette to review in June or July. The Divine Miss M likes to see wit and whimsy in the party decor, so it’s my job to take the traditional ideas of Halloween and shake them up. I draw inspiration from film and cultural references and see where it takes me.
AD: How do you make the decor feel fresh and different every year?
DL: I start with big ideas and cook it for a while until it reduces down to a usable broth. For me the devil is in the details, and I want the decorations to surprise and delight the guests. One of the ways that the decor stays fresh and fun is that Bette loves to see color, color, color, so this in and of itself is a great way of keeping things looking fresh and different.