Monthly Archives: December 2023

………………….Creating a new jacket is more than just the silhouette, though that is the most important aspect…..It’s the DETAILs that make the difference!……This wool Barathea jacket starts with the elongated collar attached to a small narrow lapel. The three button front ends with an extended tab continuing into a CUTAWAY bottom….The sleeves also continue the detail of the extended tab with five glass jet buttons to match the three buttons down the front…….The classic flap pockets give the jacket a familiar classicism……..It is always…..”ALL IN THE DETAILS”……. that separates EVERYTHING!

………………..For my 1993 Fall collection I liked to mix different fabrics in one outfit……Different fabrics in one outfit wasn’t a new concept….but…it’s the particular different fabrics, and how they are used that adds the newness………The shaped four button jacket was in wool Barathea….but it was the SHEER WOOL GAUZE swing skirt that added the unexpected drama….Sheer played an important part in the fall collect of 1993……Sheer has to be done right for it to be accepted, especially when it’s for day wear otherwise it’s considered for the runway only……These pieces were well accepted due to their versatility. They could easily be worn day or night with a casual sweater or a beaded top…….Today, 30 years later, mixing fabrics has become commonplace………It takes fabulous new fabrics, and a wonderful imagination to make it fresh!

………………………Merry Merry Christmas……….A Christmas tradition handed down to me by Jac and her Mom, and her Mom’s Mom and so forth is making a Stollen on Christmas Eve, and cooking it Christmas Day for breakfast. It takes the whole day to prepare the dough…..MACE and CURRANTS….are the secret ingredients!……After many rises and lots and lots of kneading it is ready to form the bread….Jac always told me, as I helped her to knead the dough….” when you think you have kneaded the dough enough…..knead it some more!”…..Then you make nine balls of dough…Four large ones, three medium sized ones, and two smaller ones…As you roll each ball out to make long ropes you add the currants and roll each rope in them….Then you start to braid. This was something Jac always asked me to do, because she just couldn’t get the knack of it. The braiding was something her Mom always did, and now it was my job. After the first four ropes were braided, you did the same process with the three ropes and then the two ropes….always rolling them in currants. Then you piles each braid on top of one another [photos at lower left], and cover it with dish towels, and put in a warm place to rise over night…..On Christmas morning, if all went well, the bread has risen [middle picture] to double the size if not more. Then place it in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees on the middle rack, and let it cook until it’s a golden brown. Stick in a tooth pick to make sure it’s cooked through and through, and then take out. Immediately baste the entire bread with melted butter. I usually use 3/4s of a stick….yummy……….When it has cooled enough, sprinkle powered sugar all over……..Jac used to call this “snow on the mountain”…….Then it’s ready to slice and eat!…….I had two big slices this morning….one for me and one for Jac! I don’t think she would have been happy with my gluttony!!!!! It came out perfectly……….One thing I know for sure….I know she is very proud of me for carrying on the tradition!……..Merry Christmas EVERYONE!

…………In 1993, Niki Taylor was quickly becoming a super star model. I remember the first time I saw her. She came to my show room with her father on a “go see”. She couldn’t have been more than 16 or 17 years old…She was a natural beauty! Sweet and charming and so young!!…..a real talent. Niki is still modeling and does commercials for Cover Girl and many other things….Good for her!…She has two grown twin sons from her first husband, and two more, a boy and a girl, with her second husband! Can you imagine having Niki as your mother!!!……Slip dresses were relegated for evening only, but I treated it as a modern jumper dress. I layered the button front slip dress over a straight leg pant, both in my exclusive lighter weight wool crepe. Under the dress was another version of the silk blouse with the elongated collar. This new version had an easy bell sleeve. Another version of the black jet brooch was placed under the collar. Of course you could wear the dress for evening without any blouse…..I love two for ones!…The required cuff hat and jersey glove finished the look……..Carla, at right, wore a wool jersey flared cape. Under the cape, Carla wore a beautiful heavy silk tunic blouse with a cutaway bottom, and a buttoned high stand collar….She wore it all over black leggings and shoe boots….The leggings just weren’t your normal legging! They were made in a heavier weight rayon and elastane and had a deep black matte finish. I remember the models LOVED them!!!They held you in , and made your legs look great….They were made in a knit factory in Italy that specialized in leggings…….Super long black jet faceted necklaces  and a jet cross were the perfect accessories for the tunic……..For me, the cape was a great way to add swagger and drama to any outfit……When I was a student at Parsons one of my best friends was also a super talented student named Donna Barnet [we used to call her “Little Donna” because she was petite, and Donna Karan was called “Big Donna”]. I digress….Donna B dated a guy named Luigi, and he was the head manager of Gucci in NYC. It was the hottest store at the time. Luigi was a tall thin, extremely good looking man with an incredibly winning personality…We used to go out with Luigi every where because he got in EVERY WHERE…Everyone knew Luigi!…..He used to really rock a cape! I was always impressed with his outgoing European personality, and his over the top style! Always an inspiration! Years later I ran into Luigi in Florence Italy! He owned his own men’s store! It was wonderfully chic! He was married with two boys of his own!…..Small world!