Monthly Archives: January 2024

………………….Dark deep navy has always been one of my favorite colors………..The kind of navy that almost looks black, but is definitely blue….It has always been a pet peeve of mine how so many blues are called navy….but they are not. When I established this deep navy for leather and suede accessories, especially in footwear it was an instant success. Women really loved the fact that their navy shoes were just as dark or darker than their clothes. It became an Anne Klein color, and I used it consistently for years, and continued using it at QVC……The Midnight Indigo wool and cashmere maxi steamer coat, worn on Claudia at right, had  a luxurious swing body…….A very young Tyra Banks, in a blond bob wig, wore a white mock neck sweater under a long midnight cardigan knit tunic vest over a long knit skirt with a maxi cardigan over everything. It had tons of swagger…..or maybe it was TYRA who had the swagger!

………………….Cognac Barathea is a deep rich color, because of the fabric………The carved shorter jacket has five dyed to match buttons and four band pocket with buttons and a high lapel and collar… Gayle is wearing a black cashmere TN a cashmere wool long slim skirt….and a gorgeous Cognac Crocodile belt……..The black knit cap and knit gloves finished Gayle’s look.

……………………I worked very closely with a company in Italy that specialized in chenille and novelty woven fabrics like tapestries and jacquards. The woman who owned it didn’t speak any English so at every meeting her very talented young daughter, Alessandra,  was there to interpret and add her valued opinion. We became very close friends. They worked very closely with many Italian designers, and Armani was one of their biggest customers. I loved working with them, because every time I went there it was like going to a candy store. I couldn’t wait to see, and be inspired by the new fabrics and patterns they created. The mother was a true genius….They also made shawls and scarves……For this season they developed this beautiful, solid chenille,  small check jacquard textured patterned fabric for jackets. This cognac elongated V-neck jacket was collarless and had a three button front…..I had the same chenille yarn sent to my sweater factory in Italy, and I had them make a few styles in the chenille plus scarf mufflers and cuffed caps….The yarn was rich and luxe, and the saturated colors were simply beautiful…..I showed  the long cognac chenille jacket over a long simple button front knit sweater dress with a wide contour belt in shiny lizard. It was worn with a jewel neck matching chenille sweater tied around the neck of one of the most beautiful Italian models I had ever scene…….SIMONETTA GIANFELICI……She was very famous in Europe and was featured in every magazine, and the famous photographers loved her……However, this was the only time that I can recall that I used her in a show….She rarely came to America, so when she did I booked her immediately….From the moment I saw her until this day I think she was one of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen….She always reminded me of the incredibly beautiful Virna Lisi…..She could have easily been the star in a film by Federicio Fellini…Vittorio DeSica….Michelanglio Antonioni….or….Luchino Visconti…..all great Italian movie directors.

…………….Now that the 2023 Christmas and New Years celebrations are over, it’s time for me to get back to my 1993 Fall retrospective!,,,,,…….One of my passions as a designer was to develop new fabrics………The two jackets here were made in fabrics I developed in a menswear company called Torello Viera in northern Italy. The yarn was a fine boucle tweed that I had woven in two weights. A slightly lighter one for the jacket and pant on the right worn by Megan, and a heavier version for a more tailored coat/jacket as the one on the left worn by Christy Turlington. I also purchased the raw yarn, and had it sent to one of the sweater mills also in Italy. I used the yarn to create a classic jewel necked long sleeved pullover on Christy, and a MAXI CARDIGAN shown on the right. Not all yarns used for woven fabrics are suitable to be used on sweater knit machines. They can easily break under the tension, but this time I lucked out, and the fine boucle yarn worked well on the knit machines…..I think the effect of the two materials, the woven and the knit, in the same light fawn and black yarn looked wonderful!…..Black layering sweaters enhanced the the look of the tweeds…..Once again my signature accessories of the black cuffed knit caps, and the black knit gloves gave stark contrast to both outfits. They were the only accessories needed!

………………………Last night I gave a very small dinner party to welcome 2024……..Lou, his wife Maria and their daughter Suzy came over for dinner and to watch the ball drop in Times Square…….Usually, I’m in bed before 12:00, but last night was a special occasion……We started the dinner with Buccatini pasta with shrimp, baby arugula in an olive oil, white wine sauce with lots of red pepper flakes and garlic, ground pepper and sea salt…..It was yummy…….Then we had, what I call a kitchen sink salad that had everything in it With that we had roasted potatoes and a spiral ham!……Lots of wine to accompany it……For desert I made a cheese cake with a gram cracker crust that came out perfectly. To go with the cheese cake I made a raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream…….We watched the ball drop with flutes of Champagne! It was about 2:30am when the party ended…..and 2024 has officially begun!…..Once again…..Happy New Year everyone!