Everyone was having a great time last Thursday at the Living Room Bar at the W Hotel Times Square, but none more so than East Village artist Scooter LaForge.
At the request of Lindsey Alm, the head of marketing and partnership at the W, LaForge was there to celebrate the inclusion of his hand-painted t-shirts worn by key characters Chelsea and Chloe in the latest season of the HBO hit “The White Lotus.”
To tie in with Earth Month, the hotel has been sponsoring “upcycling” events designed to spotlight sustainability by reusing existing items. These include their digital camera pop-up, which saw “a lot of people under 20” snapping up vintage digital cameras, and a “Grab and Go” recycled clothing market, which was a big success.
‘White Lotus’ expands Scooter LaForge’s audience
Alm has “been a fan of Scooter’s for years” and originally thought that he would be painting on vintage goods, but then the “Lotus” episode aired.
“I knew it would be a special moment to showcase the shirts,” she said. A small group of influencers was invited to attend, with each receiving a shirt that was customized according to their whims.
“I was introduced to a whole new crowd that I never would have had access to,” LaForge remarked. “I loved that.”
Assisted by Angelo Patti, LaForge sat with each person as they detailed what they wanted drawn in the empty box on the pre-painted shirts. On the show, the shirts — which were created in collaboration with costume designer Alex Bovaird — read “BOMBED OUT ME BOX,” but the lucky recipients got to choose whatever they wanted, and it varied from show quotes to personal faves.
Self-described “nerd commentator” Frankey Smith chose “I think we’re gonna be together forever, don’t you?” a key line from the show.
Shay McMenemy went with “Kung Fu Kitty,” a nickname she’s had since high school. Model Katya Tolstova went home with her name next to an adorable bunny, while Matt Cascone opted for a line from the video game Fallout: “War, war never changes.”
Victoria Walker had LaForge inscribe a chunk of wisdom from Pokemon: “It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are,” and we can’t argue with that.
A special Lotus-themed drink menu was created by longtime bartender and Lead Mixologist Patrick Van Ameringen. At the top of the list was a Pina Colada named “The Poison Pong Pong,” followed by “The Full Moon Party,” “Rick’s Revenge” and “Trouble in Paradise.”
Tunes were provided by DJ Tokyo Rose, who LaForge praised for her “great music and great energy.”
“I’m just ecstatic,” admitted LaForge, a usually low-key artist. “The show is the most exposure that I’ve had for my work. I had a great time personalizing the shirts, and I was pleasantly surprised by the choices of the quotes.”
Alm summed up the event, saying, “It was really a beautiful evening celebrating Scooter’s wonderful work—there was a beautiful energy in the room.”
The one-of-a-kind shirts can be ordered through patriciafield.com, and you can follow LaForge on Instagram @scooterlaforge and @scooterlaforgegarments.
Upcoming events at the W are announced on their Instagram at @wnytimessquare.
