Salvatore FerragamoBlack and White Striped Sunglasses

Salvatore Ferragamo, spring 2006

A good friend who is an accomplished actress has described to me how, when preparing for a role, she begins by wearing the shoes of her character. This dictates her posture and how she walks, and helps her to become the character. I find that sunglasses can accomplish the same, but in a rather more whimsical way. It’s very easy to assume another persona from behind dark glasses—sort of an everyday version of Halloween. Or to simply become an instant celebrity!

These Italian sunglasses are not for the faint-of-heart! When I wear them I feel I’ve been transported to a very chic, modern version of the races at Ascot in My Fair Lady.

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Vintage Ivory Star Earrings

Vintage Ivory, early 1980’s
1 ⅜” point-to-point

Instant Karma got me when I found these vintage ivory star earrings! They are, quite simply, simply perfect. Perfectly proportioned with crisp edges, they make an out-of-this-world fashion statement.

Ivory trading was banned worldwide by CITES, the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species in 1989, but in 2008 there was a one-time auction of African ivory stockpiles which allowed importation to China and Japan. More about ivory in the future—

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Kenneth Jay LaneGold Star Earrings

Kenneth Jay Lane, mid—late 1980’s
1 ½” point-to-point

After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1954, Kenneth Jay Lane (born 1930) moved to New York where he began his career as an art director at Vogue.  It was there that he realized he wanted to be creating the beautiful objects with which he was surrounded, not just working with someone else’s designs. He began this new phase of his career by collaborating on shoe collections for Christian Dior and Delman; this eventually lead to his creating the baubles, bangles and beads which have been worn by fashionistas past and present, from Jackie Onassis, Diana Vreeland, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn; to Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, and me!!! And legend has it that the Duchess of Windsor is buried in the jeweled belt which was created especially for her.

These earrings came from the Kenneth Jay Lane boutique in the Trump Tower in the latter half of the eighties. Mr. Lane’s jewelry was (still is) affordable—somewhat more expensive than department store costume jewelry, but also more interesting and less mass market. However, much as I like these stars, I can honestly say they aren’t in the league of Robert Lee Morris’ nature-inspired, hand-crafted designs of the same era.

I find most costume jewelry to be too shiny (i.e., cheap-looking), but if it looked identical to highly polished 24K, why would we still be paying for the real thing? The mellow glow of the brushed finish of these earrings is very appealing—fun, fabulous fakes!

Wearing these Kenneth Jay Lane gold stars gives me the confidence of an accolade for a job well done!

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Puma”Popart” Sneakers

Puma, spring 2009

In the New Orleans tradition of lagniappe, here is a little something extra for your visual pleasure. Pictured are sneakers from the Roy Lichtenstein-inspired “Popart “line, as my son tried them on in the Philadelphia Puma store. They’re still available online ($50-$65)—happy shopping!

Roy Lichtenstein (1923-1997) himself described Pop art as “not ‘American’ painting but actually ‘industrial’ painting.” His comic book influenced work prominently featured the use of Ben-day dots, which were developed by illustrator and printer Benjamin Day (1810-1889). The dots are equally sized within a given area; their color and spacing vary to create the desired optical illusion (as opposed to half-tone dots, which vary in size to create value and shading). Lichtenstein enlarged and exaggerated the dots to create his iconic images, the first of which came from a challenge from one of his sons to paint a Mickey Mouse as good as the one in the comic book. With its hard-edged figures, bold outlines, and speech bubbles, Lichtenstein’s work was a comment on mass media’s portrayal of its subjects; the Puma sneaks are an homage to an American artist who continues to delight and amuse us. And could Puma be any more mass market?

When you visit the birthplace of America, check out Absolute Pop Art, 137 South 13th Street, Philadelphia 19107 for Pop Art recreations.
  
Happy Birthday, America!

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RodoSplashed Paint Drawstring Bag

Rodo, spring 2004
⅛” w. x 8 ½” h. with 6” drop

Fun! I feel like a Jackson Pollock drip and splash painting is dangling from my wrist when I carry this pretty (young) thing! It’s made in Italy of soft calfskin with applied fabric paint.

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) was an American Abstract Expressionist painter who pioneered the All-over style as well as the Drip and Splash style.  Ed Harris’s 2001 bio-pic brought Pollock back into the public consciousness; perhaps this whimsical piece was one of the results.

This little treasure came from Loehmann’s in Manhattan.

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Anne KleinVintage Black and White Sandals

Anne Klein Couture, late 1980’s

You can’t beat summer sandals! These vintage variegated black and white cord flats (amazingly) still look contemporary. They came from Bonwit Teller in Philadelphia shortly before its demise.  

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Charles JourdanVintage Black and White Clutch

Charles Jourdan, spring 1985
“Liscorne”, noir/blanc (black/white)
10 ¼” w. 6 ½” h. + 46” detachable shoulder strap

This bag could be black or white! Love the contemporary geometric shape and the
graphic use of color!

Color blocking is not usually my taste—I generally prefer a much more monolithic look, but this was such a fresh approach—I just had to have the matching shoes and bag.  This combo was too much fun to pass up!

You can see that the bag has a detachable shoulder strap; I never used it.  The bag is much more chic carried as a clutch or tucked under the arm.

This bag and the shoes came from the fabulous Charles Jourdan boutique in the Trump Tower.

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Charles JourdanVintage Black and White Pumps

Charles Jourdan, spring 1985
“Lucile”, noir/blanc (black/white)

Not your mother’s spectators, these black and white kidskin pumps gave me a thrill! They went with ease from power presentations to dinner and dancing in the mid-eighties.

Charles Jourdan (1883-1976) was born in the same year as Coco Chanel. By the time my shoes were created, the company was under the leadership of two of the founder’s three sons, Rene and Charles; Roland having retired in 1981. Some thought the shoes became more conservative in the eighties; I thought they became more architectural—that was the appeal for me. And the handbags! The most amazing shapes! Oh yes, I collected them passionately!

I can’t mention the French-made Charles Jourdan shoes without emphasizing the fabulous fit and feel. They were the Christian Louboutins of their day (sans red soles), but just as easily recognizable for their high style.

In the future I’ll show you much more vintage Charles Jourdan and fill you in a bit more on the history of the company—something to anticipate!

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Calvin KleinBlack Lucite Handbag

Calvin Klein, autumn 1999 
8” w. x 3 ¼” h. with 7 ½” drop

When I remodeled my home in 1986, a wonderful friend gave me some exquisite acid-etched black glass fruit bowls from the Japanese Sugahara Glassworks. They were beautiful in my new environment! This terrific little special occasion bag manages to recall that satiny-feeling glass, but in a rather more pragmatic “frosted” Lucite. The use of a glazed saddle leather for the handle is genius (even more so with the unexpected oxblood underside)—I love the shiny rich black against the softer matte black; the natural against the plastic—it’s a brilliant combination.

This can be worn as a modern shoulder bag high under the arm, or hung over the arm in an ironically lady-like manor. The greater irony, however, is how extremely difficult (Let’s be honest—almost impossible!) it is to open this otherwise perfect piece!!!

I found this modern minaudiere at the Calvin Klein flagship store on Madison Avenue. When in New York, be sure to see the fabulous interior designed by British minimalist architect John Pawson. This location opened in September 1995, and in the early years was adorned with enormous clear glass cylinder containers (think “high tech”) each containing five or six dozen perfect calla lilies—a visual feast!
     
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