Rendering. (Shutterstock/Gothamist)
This Halloween the Statue of Liberty is getting all dressed up... as Slutty Statue Of Liberty! [Pause for laughter.] For real though, in what appears to be some sort of marketing gimmick thought up by Joe Boxer founder Nick Graham, on the morning of October 31st Lady Liberty will be part of a one Lady fashion show. She'll be sporting an array of massive bow ties courtesy of the menswear and lifestyle brand, which will be lifted in front of her, one by one, via helicopters.
Here are some fun facts that came along with the media alert announcing the odd event, which will start on Halloween at 8 a.m., and is meant to "showcase the brand’s signature style with vivid colors and off-beat patterns." Oh Lady Liberty, you dirty sell out.
- Actual size of bow ties being flown is 30ft tall by 60ft wide
- Speed the bow ties will be flying is 30-35 knots (35-40mph)
- Distance from statue the bow ties will pass is 500ft.
- Total length of entire setup from helicopters nose to bow ties tail is 650ft.
- Altitude bow ties will be over the water is 300-500ft.
- Flight plan for bow ties will cover the Statue of Liberty passes and then up the Hudson River
- Material used for bow tie construction is a half-ounce coated nylon
- Total weight of each bow tie is 35 pounds
Is this a joke? A hoax? No, just an evidently effective publicity stunt. Kate Jacobsen, a publicist for Nick Graham, assures us, "Yes, it’s actually happening. And yes this is the first time she will be dressed up."
We reached out to the National Parks Service for more information about how Lady Liberty's first fashion show came about, and will update when we hear back. They, along with the FAA, gave permission for the stunt:
UPDATE: A rep for the FAA tells us, "The FAA has not received any applications for waivers to carry giant bowties via helicopters in front of the Statue of Liberty." The National Parks Service has still not returned our request for comment, but they did tell USA Today they were "aware that this is something that Nick Graham is planning on doing. We were told it would be taking place 1,000 feet from Liberty Island, which would make it not on our property."
