MANILA, Philippines — Audrey Hepburn’s son with “War and Peace” co-star Mel Ferrer, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, and Sean’s daughter and Audrey’s granddaughter, Emma Kathleen Hepburn Ferrer, along with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and presidential sister Irene Marcos-Araneta, were among the special guests at the opening of “Intimate Audrey,” an exhibit dedicated to the fashion icon and Oscar winner, yesterday in S Maison, Pasay City.
Sean and Emma visited the Philippines for the first time as “Intimate Audrey” makes its Asian debut, with the Philippines as its first stop in Asia. The 700-square-meter exhibition is filled with the Hollywood star’s hundreds of original personal, career and family photos, videos and memorabilia, including her Oscar trophy, Balmain tea-length gown and rings from her wedding with first husband Mel Ferrer, and Vespa from “Roman Holiday,” in time for the latter’s 70th anniversary this year.
“Roman Holiday,” said Sean, is very important to their family since the 1953 romantic comedy was his mom’s breakout film from which she was “discovered” and became the first actress to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) for a single performance.
Entrepreneur Carmina Sanchez Jacob, at her speech during the exhibit’s opening, shared how she invited Sean to mount the exhibit in Manila. According to her, she stumbled upon the exhibit while visiting Amsterdam in 2019, exchanged correspondences with Sean and in the process, they became friends.
The exhibition, said Sean, “is a wonderful reminder” how a person like Audrey “can be famous, permanently viral” and “beloved,” but still remain a “humble” and “loving actress, mother” and humanitarian.
Apart from “compassion,” Sean said that the exhibit, of course, highlights what his mom is also best-known for – fashion. Thus, punctuating the exhibition are some of the best works of 22 Filipino fashion designers that mirror Hepburn’s styles and different cinema looks.
Presented by Sean Hepburn Ferrer in partnership with fashX and S Maison, the exhibit is on display from August 1 until Oct. 29, 2023. Tickets are available through SM Ticket outlets.