Nicole Miller Leads Beach Clean-up in Sag Harbor, Plans Runway Show
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NICOLE’S PICK-ME-UP: Environmentalism and sustainability are buzzed about in fashion marketing and corporate boardrooms, but Nicole Miller walked the walk — literally — to help clean up Sag Harbor’s Long Beach Sunday.
Partnering with the Group for the East End, the designer and 50 volunteers combed the shoreline and nearby grounds. A strip of grass between the beach and a parking lot tends to be where people toss bottles and other debris, Miller said. “It’s a very clean beach. It looks pristine, but there were a lot of things hidden in the greenery that you wouldn’t automatically notice,” Miller said. “We found everything from styrofoam to cardboard to bottles — I found a cigar, Popsicle sticks, straws, a lot of gum wrappers. I’m always against gum chewing so that really infuriates me.”
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The clean-up crew included artists Donald Sultan and April Gornik, models Susie Malignon and Bonnie Pfeiffer and former Page Six-ers Richard Johnson and Paula Froelich. “Everybody was chicly dressed, I must say, for the beach pick-up,” Miller said.
In an hour, 220 pounds of debris was collected with plastic straws — 65 in total — being the most common item. Sunday’s outing reminded Miller of trips to Santo Domingo and Belize where beachfront trash is ample. “I don’t know why those countries don’t get organized more to clean up more. Even though our beaches have trash, they are in much better shape than if you go to some other places,” Miller said. “‘Stop using so much plastic’ is one of the important messages that I am always trying to get out there. Even if you do use plastic, you have to make sure that you get it recycled. In my office, their trash will not be emptied if they have anything recyclable in their regular trash.”
The clean-up crew was rewarded with an afternoon tasting of Miller’s signature rosé at Bilboquet. (The rosé is made with organically grown grapes from Chateau Auguste.) Next up, Miller will stage her show on Sept. 8 at Spring Studios — the first since the death of her longtime business partner Bud Konheim. Forgoing any “fancy sets,” thematic, videos or other special effects, the show will be more in line with her more austere mode. “I just feel that sometimes it detracts. One time we showed vintage movie clips when people walked in. I’m sort of into more of a clean approach — just showing the clothes these days. But we will be having a rosé toast instead of a Champagne toast. Afterward, everybody can come backstage to have a glass of rosé.”
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