Gerald and Sara Murphy. Before the early Twenties, no-one fashionable went to the French Riviera in the summer and sunbathing was unheard of. But in 1923 an American expatriate couple, Gerald and Sara Murphy, persuaded the Hotel du Cap to stay open during the hot months so they and their guests could spend time frolicking in the sea, lying in the sun and sharing gossip. Their friends included Picasso, Cole Porter, Dorothy Parker, Hemingway, Cocteau, Marlene Dietrich and Zelda and F Scott Fitzgerald. Indeed, so fascinated was Fitzgerald by his hosts that he based Nicole and Dick Diver in Tender is the Night upon them! A very glamorous set then, and they all looked the part- Sara always wore pearls with her bathing costume because, she said, "they needed sunning." Since the Murphy's heyday, the beach has retained its allure and provided a constant inspiration and backdrop for some of the most memorable fashion photography.
