TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Yesterday, at the Mall, I stopped into H&M to see if there was anything there that I could pick-up for under $40 that with my genius tailor’s nimble hands, could be elevated to be worthy to wear to the upcoming Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week.
It took some time, but it was there – a safari dress, not in the usual khaki, but in the still fashionable gray. As I rubbed the fabric between my fingers I had visions of UBER-MODEL, LAUREN HUTTON, AT THE TOP OF HER GAME, CIRCA 1975. Transfixed on the floor at H&M, I was transported back to the age of that effortless “all-American dressing” that HALSTON and then RALPH LAUREN, did so well. [I still maintain that one of Ralph’s best-evers was his SAFARI COLLECTION, and those fragrance ads still hold-up, years later.
Back home, while trolling galleries of images of Lauren, I came across a wonderful article on her life in this period, by Lee Wohlfert on www.maryellenmark.com
In May 1975, Lauren was an “IT GIRL”, and anyone who was anyone, raved about her style and specialness.
She was on of then VOGUE EDITRIX, DIANA VREELAND’S DISCOVERIES. Said, Ms. Vreeland, “"She is the best of America," says Diana. "She is the person people want to look at. I am always amazed at how many moods she can project. Sometimes she has the eyes of a baby, the questioning look of a child. Then she has this very special electricity. Her reactions are so fast. I like her speed, her timing."
This all leads back to the big question: WHAT can we expect to see at the spring/summer 2010 NY shows? Will designers go back to all-American dressing? There are hints in the September Vogue and Harper’s issues that just hit my doorstep, that we may be going back to that uncomplicated “American” look. TOMMY HILFIGER JUST INVESTED IN 6 PAGES OF JUST THIS LOOK – SEVENTIES TAILGAITING – in the front of the September book. A few pages before, there’s a spread for MICAHEL KORS. Long-time model, CARMEN KASS is in a classic camel coat and has a yummy brown satchel bag on the crook of her arm. The year could be 1970, and if you reverse the models’ hair color, they couple could well be ALI MCGRAW and RYAN O’NEIL in LOVE STORY.
I’m circling back tomorrow, and getting this dress and dropping it with Kaitlin at R&E Cleaners and Tailors. I'll be sporting my $39.95 find at Fashion Week, channeling a little bit of Lauren Hutton.
No comments:
Post a Comment