In the heyday of Hollywood’s golden age there was no vacation spot more in demand than Palm Springs; you didn’t need a passport, or even a plane ticket to another state to find retreat from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. That escapist allure of the desert climate and its illuminating palm trees has only continued to increase in popularity for today’s generation — especially with the advent of Coachella — but there’s more to the sparkling city nestled in California’s southern coast than dry heat and sunshine.
For the Cut’s latest Out of the Box feature, Julia Galdo and Cody Cloud — collectively known as the creative duo JUCO — looked to capture that same retro glamour of Palm Springs that made legends like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe call it home. To make the feeling of old-school decadence come full circle, JUCO shot the photographs in a Palm Springs residence that had not been redecorated since its original owners in the 1960s. “The house and the styling for us represents the spirit of Palm Springs from this special time period and all the magical stories that took place in this sliver of California history.” Set against hypersaturated backgrounds, marabou-trimmed Prada pantsuits and a shimmering Saint Laurent gold lamé minidress get the Palm Springs treatment. The result is a visual feast of color and fashion. Click through the slideshow to see more photographs from the project.
Photographs by JUCO. Styling by Shirley Kurata. Makeup by Kali Kennedy; Hair by Sylvia Wheeler. Modeled by Sophia Linnewedel and shot on location in Palm Springs.