……………..”THE MUST HAVE LACE BUSTIER”………I have often been asked….when a certain style shows up on different collections……if the designers got together and discussed what they were doing!…..I CAN ASSURE WE DID NOT!…….However, it did happen that certain styles or colors would show up on many collections, and it became what is called a “TREND”………..THE BUSTIER was just such a trend! I myself often wondered HOW THIS HAPPENDED??? After all a BUSTIER isn’t a common article of clothing….I have suspected that sometimes the “WORD” got around through certain fashion editors…..They will see something from one designer, and like it a lot, and think it’s TREND WORTHY, and start asking other designers if they are doing any….WIDE LEG PANTS??? or maybe BUSTIERS????knowing they would make great editorials for their fashion pages…..Designers who weren’t doing them…all of a sudden had some on their collections…All of a sudden there they are walking down many runways…..A “TREND” has been born!…. That’s what happened this particular year…the Bustier, among other trend setting items, made a BIG IMPACT on many runways……There was one fashion editor who worked for a major Fashion Magazine who was talked about, and it was believed she told certain designers, who were her close friend, what the other designers were doing…..At one time the length of a skirt was the BIG NEWS, and she would have “her friends” either lengthen or shorten all of the skirts on their collections according to what she had seen at other influential designers….People started connecting the dots, and word did get around about who was leaking the information. She was banded from many designer’s studios!…..I designed 3 or 4 versions of the bustier that season. In these photos they are all the same bustier worn different ways….with a black blazer and soft draped trousers on Daniella….with white denim on Yasmeen, and on Yasmeen again in the Pink Wave jacket…..Lastly on Christy with a matching lace Bolero and tiered pleated skirt in georgette…..Ralph Francisco, who was one of my three draping and sample making assistants, made all of my bustiers as well as most of my “soft” clothes……Ralph was a very handsome young man, who looked like he walked out of a muscle magazine…You would never imagine he made these beautiful delicate things….but he had the most delicate light touch. Jac, who wore, and was fitted for many bustiers all over the world….always told me Ralph’s fit the best! Eventually, after I left Anne Klein, Ralph went on to made samples for Vera Wang’s bridal and bridesmaid dresses where he remained for many years….He now lives in Florida and is a Facebook buddy and friend…..The BUSTIER was a major hit, and the quality and workmanship was superb!…….A huge surprise for an AMERICAN SPORTSWEAR COMPANY, and we sold LOTS of them to my great satisfaction!
