Author: Louis Dell'Olio

………………..Today, March 30th, is my brother John Daniel’s birthday……..He would have been 82 years old today………That’s us standing in front of our home in Elmont Long Island where we grew up…..All three of us boys, my brothers Mauro and John, who was the middle child, and me were born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Long Island in 1951 when I was three years old. I was probably six in this picture…..John and I shared a bedroom until he moved to Florida for college….John was on every sports team in school and was the captain for most of them…..He played every sport except football….only because my parents would not sign the paper allowing him to play. My mom, rightly so, thought it was too dangerous! My brother was a natty dresser and always had great style……note his sleeves ROLLED UP! and his pleated trousers!! He used to leave the house early in the mornings for practice, and I would raid his draws and wear his beautiful sweaters. Since he was a senior and I was a freshman, we were on two different sides of the high school building, and he never knew I was wearing his clothes! I would get home before him, as he was at yet another practice, and neatly folded his sweaters and place them back into his draw…..He never knew until years later when I confessed that I wore them! At that point all he could do was laugh. He had a great laugh, and was the only one of us to have the best dimples!….He was a sweet kind hearted soul at 6’2″……He became a physical education teacher in Garden City Long Island, at the Garden City High School where he lived. He coached many teams, but I think his favorite was the girl’s basketball team…..They were CHAMPIONS season after season, and the girls adored him…..Where ever we went these young girls would come up to him, with stars in their eyes, and say “HELLO MR. D!”……My brother was a handsome devil! He used to have the best THICKEST hair, and when he started to loose it…it really upset him…..He was a “COMB OVER” guy, and tried to cover his bald spots….until one day his three sons convinced him it was fruitless, and had him cut it off. He was a very handsome bald guy, and always had that winning smile and laugh!…..He was the Dad of four children, and a grandfather…..all loved him……My brother passed away Feb.22, 2019, of cancer….It was very quick….a matter of weeks after it was found out……The world is definitely a lesser and sadder place without him….All that knew him LOVED him……….I LOVE HIM very much, and miss him, and his sweet mild soft voice and the twinkle in his eyes………….Happy Birthday in Heaven my dear brother……I hope you and Jac are celebrating together………….Until we meet again, and I can “borrow” some of your heavenly sweaters!!!

………………….”HUMAN GREATNESS DOES NOT LIE IN WEALTH OR POWER, BUT IN CHARACTER AND GOODNESS…….It is unconscionable to me that the ANNE FRANK DIAEY is band in certain states!

…………………….Does GIORGIO ARMANI show REVOLUTIONARY FASHION…….NO……BETTER THAN THAT!!!………He shows PURE ARMANI!!!!!!……….What can you expect from an Armani Collection….EXQUISITELY MADE BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES….in the most incredible fabrics….in colors that are consistent to Armani, but always new and fresh……His color pallet flows like a gentle wave from one story to another….NEVER jarring!!!…YES….his clothes are commercial, but only in the fact that they are WEARABLE, and that most women would look CLASSY and ELEGANT wearing them…..Classy and Elegant, two words that somehow have lost their meaning on most collections…..and in fashion today…..The models always have the most impeccable make up, and the hair is always done simply so it doesn’t distract from the clothes……Is it a flawless collection?….well that’s a matter of opinion…..It depends what defines “flawless” for you…..I wouldn’t quibble about the few things I didn’t like, because 98% of the collection I thought was beautiful…..He is incredible with details, and many times they ARE  what distinguishes one designer collection from another…..His accessories are always beautiful, especially his jewelry which has an EDGE that works perfectly with the clothes…..When I designed Anne Klein, I worked with many of the fabric mills that Armani does….and I can tell you they held him, and treated him with the greatest RESPECT….He was always the designer they showed their newest creations and developments to first……Jac worked along side “Mr. Armani”  for many years….He would book her for weeks ahead of the showing of his collection. She worked with him first on fitting the collection, and then putting the “looks” for the shows together….She gladly took this well paying booking with the understanding that at show time she could still do other designers shows, and then between shows go back and continue working for “Mr. Armani”…………She adored him!……His clothes need no explanation…..they speak for themselves.