CAPTURING THE COLOR
OF A NEW GENERATION

Postwar America was defined by a sudden influx of societal indulgence, opulence and seemingly effortless style. In printed pages of the day, iconic images enthralled mid-century audiences around the world. 

Now, post-covid and decades later, artist Kristin Simmons and award-winning creative director Matthew Cimaglia are recreating classic images from old-world Palm Beach. But rather than recreating vintage images with historical accuracy, Palm Beach: Then and Now re-interprets them with a modern flair, updating the technology, designs, and fashions to match the 21st century. These photos capture the lives of real-world Palm Beach residents, reflecting and celebrating the limitless diversity and opportunity of modern America.

UTOPIAN OPTIMISM

By juxtaposing vintage photos against contemporary counterparts, Palm Beach: Then and Now shows audiences just how much society has evolved—and how so many of our public conceptions of success and opulence remain the same. The images shine with a utopian optimism badly needed in these heavy times. Just as socialite photography from the 1950s reflected the excitement of a thriving postwar era, these 21st-century iterations nod to the myriad global struggles facing the world today, while envisioning a brighter future on the horizon.