The iconic LA property was home to many celebrities including singer Englebert Humperdinck, Cass Elliot of The Mamas and Papas, and Ringo Starr of The Beatles, who allegedly told friends that no matter how many times he painted the walls white, the pink always found a way through. The Pink Palace epitomizes the wonder, whimsy and unabashedly feminine philosophy of Scarlett Gasque and is an essential piece of 1950s Hollywood history that has inspired elements of our brand. Join us in La La Land as we take you on a tour of the iconic and fabulous Pink Palace of Hollywood.
Spanning 10,000 square feet over three floors, Mansfield and her husband Mickey Hargitay hired Los Angeles set decorator Glenn Holse to make some alterations to their ‘Spanish Colonial' home. The crisp white exterior was painted Jayne’s favourite colour, pink, which supposedly contained crushed rocks to give the walls a sparkle in the sun. Her initials were swirled into the wrought iron gate (again, in pink), a fountain spurting pink champagne overlooked the piano room and a giant 40-foot heart-shaped pool with “I love you Jaynie” spelled out in gold leaf mosaic tiles was installed in the garden.
The yard also featured a giant kitchen dining area with a sweeping curved stone bar and an outdoor fireplace displaying a stone heart centerpiece. Both inside and out, the palace had an inescapable theme of ‘love’ and was decorated with pink lights, heart motifs and cupid iconography highlighted in fountains, ornaments and painted straight onto the walls.
The Pink Palace may not be to everyone’s taste, but it references a time in history when the blonde bombshells ruled Hollywood and women began to find the freedom to create their own fantasy homes without any man to answer to. The demolition of this once-great home is a travesty to the history of Hollywood, “Seeing it demolished was like losing a member of the community,” remarks Alison Martino at Vintage L.A. “There was nothing else like it.” Scarlett Gasque emulates the wonder and whimsy guests of the Pink Palace would experience as they explored the house with its unapologetic femininity and over-the-top glamour. Jayne Mansfield continues to inspire us today, and her influence can be spotted in our future collections…
Follow the @scarlettgasque Instagram for sneak-peeks and collection reveals coming very soon, but in the meantime, enjoy some of our Jayne Mansfield inspiration boards!
Can’t wait for new Scarlett Gasque pieces to arrive? Shop our debut collection now, featuring bubble-gum pink lingerie so you can live out your Pink Palace fantasy!
