Yearly Archives: 2025

…………………..GIORGIO ARMANI………an ICON….a POWER HOUSE……a LEGEND…….has passed away at the age of 91…….FEW designers can claim to have changed the face and the course of fashion…..but Armani could, and he owned it……He burst upon the scene in the 70s, and by 1980 he was a house hold name……..I can recall at the age of 21….very slender…you had to be to wear Armani……going to Barneys down town to buy my first Armani suit….I HAD to have it…..In those days I could buy an Armani suit right off the rack….a 38-40 regular…..Who could forget Richard Gere in the 1980 movie…..”American Gigolo”…..The iconic scene….him standing bare chested in his bedroom…..pulling out of his closet one Armani suit after the other, laying them on his bed with coordinating Armani shirts and ties!!!EVERYONE who loved fashion wanted to dress in Armani!…..He deconstructed men’s and women’s clothing, but still had that indescribable Armani tailoring….that vision that was his alone…..but copied by many!…..Jac worked for Armani for many years…..Mr. Armani, as she would call him, booked her for a MONTH before his fashion show. He fit the samples for the collection on her. He thought she had the perfect body for his clothes….slender with broad shoulders…..Then she would do his shows….She traveled around the world for him……She had an understanding with him that if she took this very long booking, she would still be able to do other designers shows….he agreed…..He took very good care of her, and always booked her in lovely hotels not far from his atelier in Milan…..Even when she stopped going to Europe, when ever she would see him in NYC…..they always kissed and hugged. I could tell he was genuinely happy to see her. I met Mr. Armani through Jac…..She knew everyone….many more designers than me!…..He was a HANDS ON DESIGNER…..and was responsible for everything he touched….the clothing, the accessories….the home products, and the hotels he designed…..He worked until the end, and only missed ONE of his shows…..the very last one. He was too sick to attend……In the crazy world of fashion….where it seems sometimes to have gone off the deep end, and there’s very little to commend….with only a very few doing anything original……you could always count on Armani to bring us BEAUTY………No one can ever replace him……..There was and is only one……….GIORGIO ARMANI……..Rest in Peace Mr. Armani….your work and you will live forever.

………………..It’s SEPTEMBER…..and the garden is on the wane……..a harbinger of things to come!…….The potted flowers are starting to loose their robust fullness, and many of the plants in the garden have had their last blooms……however…..the WILD FLOWERS I planted in the spring are still growing and blooming with their glorious color……I know once October comes it will be all gone, but then I’m off to Europe to see other magnificent things…..so it won’t hurt so bad!…..I’ll enjoy it while I can….LIVE IN THE MOMENT!

…………………….HELLO SEPTEMBER!!

…………..”Oh Sweet September”…….”Make it a September to remember”…………..September is one of my favorite months in the year…..It is a time that brings very mixed emotions…..When the mornings have a chill that require more than a tee shirt to keep you warm….it saddens me to think of the long winter ahead…..but…..the warmth of the September days without the humidity is the most splendid feeling, and reminds us that summer is not quite gone…..There are so many things to look forward to during September……the changing colors of the leaves……a cozy sweater…..a delicious cup of spice tea with my pumpkin cheesecake……and my first fire in the fireplace………to name a few……………..”Oh Sweet September”……enjoy it while you can…..time is fleeting!

……………………..”Labor Day, celebrating on the first Monday of September in the United States, is a holiday dedicated to honoring the social and economical achievements of AMERICAN WORKERS. It originated in the late 19th century during the labor movement, which advocated for better working conditions, including shorter work days. While many associate it with the end of summer and barbecues, the holiday’s true meaning lies in recognizing the contributions of workers to the country’s PROSPERITY and WELL-BEING”……Workers achievements, during these extremely hard times, is something we should never lose sight of. There was a time when people believed if you worked hard you would reap the rewards…..but today……many people are working two to three jobs just to survive and keep a roof over their families heads and food on the table…..Our government is doing nothing to help American workers when they constantly cut budgets that hurt ALL Americans……especially the children! Today we celebrate all workers of all nationalities and colors……and honor them for their working spirit and dedication to this country……Let’s hope, somehow they will finally be rewarded for their labors.