Author: Louis Dell'Olio

………………..I recently saw on YOUTUBE this clip of Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond singing “You Don’t Bring Me flowers Anymore”. It was a huge hit for both of them….an extremely successful duet…..They sang it at a 1978 Awards show that was on TV. I’m not sure what awards show it was, and from the clip you couldn’t tell. It may have been a Grammy Award show? I remember Barbra coming up to my and Donna’s studio at Anne Klein, and Donna and I helping her to select something to wear…..She wanted this draped cowl front top with huge shoulder pads, very fashionable at the time, and easy pants….that I had designed, but of course she had no idea which one of us designed it!!….We showed her many samples, but she kept coming back to this draped top and languid pant…..It was in this icy grey color silk georgette with rhinestones scattered all over…….Honestly, I did not like the color on her! With her skin color, her mousey hair color and her curly kinky hair style at the time [which I didn’t find flattering], I felt the grey washed her out…..I tried in a very subtle way to convince her that we would make it for her in any color she wanted, and I showed her swatches of other colors I thought would be more flattering and better on TV……..but…….Barbra gets what Barbra wants and she loved the grey…….so it was the grey she wore…..I still think, after all of these years that I was right! I would have preferred it in a soft white with the glistening rhinestones……Barbra and Neil were terrific together…..and in the end that’s all that counts……….I was still proud that Barbra was wearing my design, and to this day she has no idea it was mine!

……………………..A word of CAUTION!!! Don’t be stupid like ME!!, and sit in the sun without SUNSCREEN!…..I KNOW BETTER, but it was so breezy and comfortable, and lovely sitting by the water, and the sun felt SOOOO GOOD. There was no humidity, and the sky was wonderfully blue with hardly a cloud….I was lulled into thinking I would be fine!…As I said STUPID me!!! and I have a linen closet full of different sun screens!…When I went inside to take a quick shower, and I saw this LOBSTER looking at me in the mirror….I thought HOLEY CR-P!…..I’m in for it now!!!….I’m much redder than I look in the picture…..and it hurts! I’m bathing in a moisturizer balm that’s supposed to relieve the “BURN, but I’m sure to peal!…..Don’t do as I did, and make sure the LITTLE ONES are covered in sunscreen lotion and clothing that will cover their delicate skin too!!!! It drives me crazy when I see a parent with a stroller, wearing sunglasses, and their child is sitting totally exposed to the harmful sun without any eye or probably skin protection…..Do they think their little one is immune to the sun!….or are they just NOT THINKING AT ALL!!!!…….Be CAREFUL of the sun….even when you are driving your car!

……………….It’s OFFICIAL!……..On this day….July 23rd, 2024….at sometime very early in the morning…….I made my SEVENTY SIXTH trip around the SUN!…..In 1948 a new LEO entered the world!…Looking at my baby picture….I could say I have changed a lot….Certainly, I have aged a great deal…thought the body is still similar…LOL…..and my smile still exists in my eyes!….My Mom told me the morning I arrived it was a blistering hot day….a record breaking heat wave, and in those days there was no air conditioning. She told me she was grateful that she didn’t have to go through August and September pregnant! She also told me it was  a smooth and quick delivery. My father was playing cards with some of his cronies, and my Mom had to send my grandfather to get him!…..Since I was her fourth pregnancy the birth wasn’t too difficult….just HOT!……Looking back over my life thus far….I have a LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR…..I’ve had an ABUNDANCE of RICHES in my life…….A wonderful family…..wonderful friends….reasonably good health…..and the career I always dreamed of……..MOST OF ALL I found and married the LOVE OF MY LIFE!…………………If I could have but one wish to make it all PERFECT………it would be that……..my Jac………was still here to share it with me.

……………….I LOVED MIXING UNEXPECTED FABRICS……..Mixing HAIR CALF LEOPARD and CHEETAH with custom made tweeds to coordinate, and boucle solid fabrics was visually very exciting. I had the hair calf skived [shaved] down so it was thinner and more supple. Being able to sew the two fabrics together was paramount in having a successful garment. The fringe that I used was a synthetic and had a stiffness that I wanted……some of my favorite sketches from left to right…is the suit with the alternating panels on the jacket and skirt of the Leopard and the tweed……Leopard cuffs, small collar and the fringe detail on the collar, the hem and the cuff gave it an African vibe……Below is an empire dress with a printed leopard draped top and a feather skirt…..Hats, gloves bags and shoes done in the tweed and Leopard were fun to create. I loved the tweed “stocking hat” with the stitched brim [top center].

……………….Where ever I have stayed around the world….I always had some sort of paper and a sketching utensil with me, even at my bed side……even if it was just the hotel stationary…….While staying in Germany I jotted down some ideas I had that I didn’t want to forget…The brain never takes a rest!!!…..They were ribbed sweaters…..a button front fully fashioned mock neck halter , and a crop TN with a cropped jacket and drop waisted wide leg pants……….I don’t even remember this hotel or where or when in Germany I was!!!!….but I quickly recorded my ideas!