Monthly Archives: March 2021

………………….I found the photo of the beaded swirl dress from my 1991 Anne Klein Fall collection……..It was completely covered in hand sewn Swarovski Crystals and Jet beads….The dress looks as modern and relevant today as it did THIRTY YEARS AGO….I can’t believe I did this dress thirty years ago!!!!.This was the inspiration for my sweater for the “Runway to Reality” show. The sweater for the show had the same swirl design bordering the ballet neckline. It was translated into cupped sequins…..The dress is on super model Jasmeen Ghauri.

……………………..What was chosen for the March 09 Designer Event was a three piece outfit in FAUX SILK SHANTUNG……You could absolutely not tell the difference from real silk….It came in two colors, Champagne and Aqua…….The jacket was a pseudo Safari Jacket. It had four patch pockets with real pearl buttoned flaps. The bottom patches had invert center pleats, and they were side entry….The silhouette was A-line, and it had 3/4 sleeves. The seaming was on a diagonal to follow the line of the jacket. The open neckline was special. It was framed in a separate band that had a space at the closure……To coordinate there was also a shell and a pair of pants with back seams for shape to prevent bagginess.

……………………..March 09 was looking forward to the spring temperatures ahead…….Starting at the bottom left was a COTTON HOUNDS TOOTH CHECK jacquard jacket. The jacket has an A-line silhouette with diagonal seams with inseam pockets It has a funnel neck, and 3/4 sleeves with turn back split cuffs. The covered fabric buttons added the “designer” look. The back had an invert pleat for more ease. The jacket was fully lined……The colors were white, yellow and turquoise….This jacket and the next mock neck sweater were reordered in new colors many times……The mock neck elbow sleeve cotton/acrylic sweater was the coordinate to both the Hounds Tooth jacket, and the next cardigan. It was in a cotton/acrylic/span Milano stitch. Both this cardigan and the mock neck came in white, yellow and cornflower blue. The cardigan had exposed zippers on the sleeves and down the front. Rib trims made up the collar and the band pockets…….The zip front trouser pant came in red, white and black. The blouse at the upper left was made in a double layer of georgette, The circular sleeve layers were in two lengths giving the sleeve a tiered look. The blouse was shaped and had a side zipper……The updated “Tennis sweater” was a tunic with side slits. It had contrast bands on the V, at the 3/4 sleeve hem and stripes from the shoulder down the sleeve and ending at the banded cuff. The cotton/nylon came in black/white, turquoise/lime and hot pink/orange……..The Anorak was in a very light weight poly PINSTRIPE. It was water repellent and had a funnel neckline. It had rain flaps front and back. The stitched down square pockets had zippers for entry. The coat had an inside drawstring. The sleeves were 3/4 sleeves. It had large industrial snaps hidden down the front and on the sleeves……The colors were blue/white and black/white.

……………………………Feb. 09 started the new year with some beautiful, elegant pieces……The two button blazer at the bottom left had gold domed buttons on the front, the pocket flaps and working buttons up the sleeves. I always loved working buttons on the sleeves because it was a sign of a bespoke garment……Eventually I was asked not to do button holes on the sleeves. Since they didn’t buy petite sizes, it made the sleeves almost impossible to shorten…..Of course it was fully tailored with shoulder pads and a full lining. The colors were navy and ivory…….A pencil skirt was also done in the same fabric and colors as well as the next item….a vest/camisole……..The “vest” had a sweetheart neckline, wide straps to cover undergarments, and tiny working gold dome buttons down the front….It looked wonderful under the blazer as well as on its’ own…It also looked fabulous with a shirt under it…….The faux DB, scoop neck sweater with 3/4 sleeves also had the tiny buttons down the front and on the sleeve. What was interesting about this sweater was it actually looked like it opened. The plackets looked like normal plackets and the buttons unbuttoned, but they were attached and closed on the inside panel so they couldn’t completely open. This avoided and gaping. It came in ivory, navy and pink….The tunic blouse on the top row had a stitched down pleat front like a tuxedo shirt, but then the pleats were released. The blouse was in georgette so it had a very gossamer flowing feeling. The contrast navy banding on the ivory or pink was in Silk CDC. The tiny buttons were in the same gold dome style only even smaller……..What I think made the next trench coat so special was the IRIDESCENT FABRIC. It was absolutely beautiful in the white with the super large Lucite buttons. The Navy picked up the light in a magical way. It had all the details you would expect from a Linea garment……After 8 years, and starting my 9th, the quality was unquestionable……The next jacket was in suede, and had a hook and eye front closure. The style was a bit dressier with the scoop neckline and the 3/4 sleeve, but what made it more casual was the heavy contrast top stitching It came in Red and a cornflower blue.

………………..I can only assume, my memory not being as sharp as it once was [it was never very good as Jac always told me], that these clothes were for a special PM Style presentation for the Holidays…….Starting at the bottom left…..this SUEDE and METALLIC LEATHER jacket was very elaborate. It was inspired by an exhibit I had seen many years before…..1983…..It was the YSL exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art, organized by Diana Vreeland. It was the first time an exhibit was done for a living couturier’s work. I remember going to the black tie event, and being overwhelmed by the amount of beautiful clothes in magnificent settings, and music chosen for each rooms theme of clothing. It was a star studded gala of all the “beautiful people” of NYC, Chicago, Dallas etc. Socialites and more socialites…..all customers of YSL…. Diana Vreeland was wearing a YSL black velvet jacket with stupendous Pagoda sleeves [the shoulders were very extended and turned up into peaks], and it had elaborate gold emb. placed somewhat like my jacket….only MORE. My zip front jacket however was not short on details! The entire jacket was banded in the metallic leather. Chinese scroll work patterns went around the armhole and continued unbroken across the shoulder and down the front. These scroll work bands also outlined the pockets……It was truly a gorgeous jacket…..It came in Black with matte gold metallic leather……The next very 60s/70s dress was in a cotton/acrylic Milano stitch, so the knit held the A-line shape beautifully. The dress was bordered in EMERALD cut SQUARE sew on beads….one right next to the other. They bordered the square neckline, the short sleeve and the bottom hem. It came in Black with Black Jet beads and Magenta with tonal Magenta stones…..It really looked like a boutique dress, without the boutique price!……..The next outfit consisted of a tunic and pant. It was in a poly blend Ponte knit. This Ponte compared with the Super Ponte [which was primarily rayon], had a warmer hand and was softer and had more drape. The Super Ponte is more substantial…..The tunic had a wide funnel neckline, and long sleeves. Both the sleeves and the bottom hem were bordered with 2 1/4 inches of BLACK BUGLE BEADS. There was also a separate Ponte pull-on straight leg  pant……..It always reminded me of Rosalind Russel in “Auntie Mame” hosting one of her cocktail parties……The next top was in STRETCH VELVET. It was styled from a dancer’s ballet top with beautiful embroidery…The embroidery was a mix of the flat back emerald cut stones in squares and oblongs in different sizes, mixed with  cupped sequin also in two sizes. Unfortunately, I don’t have a layout of the emb. for you to get a better idea, but it was very beautiful and very special……It came in Black with Matte Gold beads and sequins, and Gunmetal with gunmetal emb.

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