Inside The Former Nests of Capote’s Swans

The writer and producer behind binge-worthy series like American Horror Story and Glee, Ryan Murphy now dives into the glamorous lives of Truman Capote’s gaggle of girlfriends in his latest FX anthology

As for how we’re escaping reality lately, it’s our Wednesday night ritual. That’s when we get to turn on our TVs and slip into a life of masquerade balls at the Plaza, tented libraries and hallways lined with Picasso and Matisse, wine-soaked lunches, closets full of Schiaparelli and Halston, and, of course, titillating gossip from Manhattan’s upper-echelon. Though famed writer Truman Capote’s real life “swans” – the well-heeled Babe Paley, Lee Radziwill, C.Z. Guest, and Slim Keith – had their woes, from cheating husbands to spotlight-stealing-sisters, they navigated them in style. Ryan Murphy’s latest FX smash, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, unveils how these New York elites lived, masterfully recreating the spaces they called home throughout their intimate relationship with Capote, the salacious novelist who eventually betrayed them.

Below, we take a look at their former real life pied-à-terres and imagine ourselves lounging alongside the fabulous flock.

Babe Paley

Babe and her husband, media mogul and CBS chairman William Paley, nested at an expansive 20-plus-room Fifth Avenue apartment. Its grandeur comes from its combination of bright colors, patterned upholstery, and Louis XVI antiques.

Perhaps the most iconic piece? Picasso’s 7-foot canvas “Boy Leading a Horse” greets you through the entryway.

Lee Radziwill

While Lee Radziwill, the interior designer and socialite, was often outshined by her older sister, Jackie Kennedy, those closest to her – including Capote, famously – believed her beauty and elegance surpassed the former first lady’s.

As Capote once called Lee “marvelously made,” the same can be said of her fabulous New York City apartments, one on Park Ave and another on Fifth.

C.Z. Guest

Throughout the FX series, Chloë Sevigny’s C.Z. Guest is often seen roaming through her idyllic gardens at her country estate, called Templeton, in Long Island.

The gargantuan property, acquired by she and her husband Winston Frederick Churchill Guest in the 60’s, remained in their family until their daughter, animal rights activist Cornelia Guest, sold it in 2014.

C.Z.’s passion for all things horticulture shines through the immaculate grounds.

SLIM KEITH

Slim Keith, the thrice-married socialite who hailed from California, moved to New York and soon became society’s it girl, oftentimes viewed as the leader of the swans.

Her prowess in the realm of style extended past her wardrobe – just look at her curated Upper East Side apartment.