Ralph Hopkins

For one day at the end of each summer between 1994 and 2000, Ralph Hopkins and the community transformed Riis Beach (aka the People’s Beach), New York City’s oldest public gay beach, into a vibrant and otherworldly fashion event. Ralph worked alongside friends, designers, and models from the storied queer sanctuary to create joyful spectacles and iconic looks in the sun and sands of the Rockaway Peninsula. Featuring more than 100 photographs alongside reflections by Ralph and his collaborator Gili Rappaport, this collection is a celebration of the legendary and historic parties as well as a unique document of artistry, inclusivity, and wondrous beachfront fashions on Ralph’s signature glittering mylar catwalk.