It felt as if the founder had invited a large group of friends—Liv Tyler, Abby Elliott, Jackie Tohn, Sepideh Moafi, and Natasha Rothwell among them—to her splashy, eclectic Milan home. The tables were a feast for the eyes, adorned with multicolored flowers and bright dinnerware, and dressed in a floral tablecloth.
Lela Becker, co-founder and president of Mother, introduced Martin and Murphy at one of Mother’s events around the time of the tragic Los Angeles wildfires, which had destroyed the model’s home. “Lela was like, ‘You’ve got to get out of your hotel,’” Murphy recalled. As it turned out, Martin’s warmth and uplifting spirit were exactly what she needed. “When J.J. and I met at the event, it was like fireworks went off right away.” After the two got to know each other better, Martin floated the idea of a collaboration.
“But I don’t wear prints,” Murphy recalled telling Martin with a laugh. Indeed, the model is a longtime minimalist, but even she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to enter the lively, colorful world of La DoubleJ. “I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and I think that’s why the collaboration was a lovely marriage of our sensibilities,” Murphy explained. Fittingly, she was clad in a champagne-hued two-piece set with bezel-set stones from the collection, which is named Sisterhood of Light.
“My daughter, Dylan, is standing here in the Camelot dress,” Murphy said, pointing out the 25-year-old, who was socializing behind her. Meanwhile, Moafi, who stars in season 2 of The Pitt, was in awe of the collaboration. “It is so diverse and a cross blend of so many different cultures and time periods,” the actor, dressed in a 1970s-inspired patterned blouse and matching trousers, said.
On the outdoor patio, where guests chatted and sipped on cocktails before dinner, Rothwell, known for her role in The White Lotus, looked as though she had just stepped off the set in Thailand, wearing a flowing green-and-teal printed dress. “My stylist Katie Bottomler is the one who introduced me to the brand while I was doing press for The White Lotus,” she shared, with Bottomler standing by her side. Luckily, the label’s airy designs helped Rothwell beat the heat while in Thailand, too. “I’m a plus-size girly, and so I love a brand that considers that and looks good on all body types,” Rothwell added.
After admiring the aforementioned tablescapes and snapping photos, attendees began finding their seats, where copies of Martin’s book Table Energy: Entertaining with Italian Spirit awaited. “By the way, product plug, everything on your table has been made by La DoubleJ,” Martin told the crowd, prompting laughter and applause as they enjoyed artichoke salad, grilled branzino, and filet mignon.
