………………………”JAC”……………….This was the name Jac went by as a model. It was the name her Mom called her….it was short…..it was memorable…it stood out….and it was UNIQUE…..This was her first “Head Shot” at the tender age of seventeen……This was the young girl I first met. Of course when I met her….her makeup and hair was more natural………She didn’t need much makeup…..she was a natural beauty…..She would tell me stories of her first days as a model, and I loved hearing them. When she joined her first agency they immediately sent her to Paris. She hadn’t even worked in NYC yet. The French shows would be starting soon and it was time to go and be seen…..The agent thought the European designers would adore her, and her agent was right. She recognized that Jac was sophisticated and elegant beyond her years……..It wasn’t just that she was a beauty, which was true, and always would be, but it is was the way she moved and carried herself. She didn’t need to be taught how to walk or turn or how to hold an audience’s attention like so many of the other models did. She was naturally graceful. She had no affectations. When she came out on a runway all eyes were on her. It was her natural grace that was so unique to her…She was simply captivating and had this aura that made her one of the “special” ones……The European designers fell in love with her, because she was so “intoxicating, inspiring….so fresh”. She was tall and willowy. She was the new breed of models that were coming in…..She was one of the new “Amazons” as they called the tall models. At one of her very first shows, she was back stage sitting in a chair waiting for her turn to have her makeup and hair done. Her face wash washed clean and ready. She told me one of the other American models looked at her and screamed….”you’re a baby!!!”. Even though the model was actually paying her a compliment, Jac was still embarrassed…She was very young and shy, and just wanted to blend in…..well, Jac was not going to ever just blend in……The designers loved the way these new young super tall girls looked in their clothes…Her mother always came with her to Europe when she first started, but after a few seasons Jac wanted to go on her own, after all none of the other models had their mothers with them….I know she missed not having her Mommy with her, but it was time to go it on her own……Her mother would always slip a letter or card into Jac’s shoulder bag, and Jac would read it on the plane…..She kept every single card and letter. I have boxes filled with them…… She was becoming well know very early on. Once you got chosen to work for the “Top” designers word traveled quickly, everyone wants to see you, and the agencies have you go on “go sees” for everyone……She became successful very quickly….At first she thought she wanted to do more photography then runway. There wasn’t the running from show to show……Even though she was doing well for a newbee. She soon learned about the seedy side of photographers and their studios…….the drugs, and sexual abuse, and the way models were treated shocked her. She was young and new and could not yet make demands. A reputation for being difficult could kill a career quickly….Of course not all of the photographers were like this, and not all the studios were seedy. She worked with some of the best who were wonderful, but she felt this wasn’t for her….It wasn’t the glamorous side of fashion she was dreaming about….This was going to be her next story on Facebook, but she never was able to write it…….. She decided that runway was for her. Even though the work was hard, she found the designers were so wonderful to her, and it was more glamorous. The clothes, the jewels, the best make up artists and hair designers were all so wonderful to her and to work with…..she loved everything about it….. After a while she could pick and choose the designers she wanted to work for. They adored her, and they were protective of her……Her first job in Paris was for Givenchy. He was already part of the “old guard”. He loved her youth and thought she made his clothes look new, fresh and “young”. She thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen. Of course this was before she met me!……. She worked for them all, but her favorites were Givenchy, because this was her first job and she was so honored to be chosen by such a famous respected designer. He was so kind and gentle to this very young impressionable girl, and he was Audrey Hepburn’s favorite. How could she not fall in love with him!. She would always treasure her first experience in Paris with Givenchy……She loved working with Valentino and Armani the best. They took care of her and sheltered her. She would go and work with Armani for three weeks before the show, and he would do all of the “looks” on her. She learned a great deal from him. He would always have her stay in a beautiful hotel, all expenses paid by him……She loved the stories Valentino would tell…..Lots of gossip, none of which could ever be repeated, but I heard them all. She did YSL, Chanel, Montana, Sonia Rykiel, Karl Lagerfeld, Gautier, Thierry Mugler and so many more, but they were all jobs. You run in….you had your hair and make up done….. you did the show and you ran out to the next show. It would start at 6am and sometimes ended at 11pm. Then the next morning you would start again. Jac not only did the “Ready to Wear” shows, but she also did the “Couture” shows, where a simple dress started at $20,000.00 and went up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. These were all special order hand made clothes which only the super super rich could afford. The ready to wear shows used up to 30 models and more, but only a handful of models were booked for the Couture. Usually no more then 15 models. You had to have a certain look….you had to give off an aura of “don’t touch me”……you had to be aloof. Jac was a good actress and played the part well. It was totally different from the ready to wear shows……. Jac made some life long friends who she kept in touch with long after her days of running to Europe were over. Whenever she would see Mr. Armani or Mr. Valentino in NY they would always hug and kiss. At one of the Met Galas, many years later, Mr. Givenchy came to our table and gave Jac a rose…..She was so unbelievably happy and honored. Again, all eyes were on her. I met most of the European designers through Jac………Jac was also a huge success in NY as well, and worked for designers as diverse as Steven Burrows and Bill Blass, who considered Jac his Carol Lombard. One year after working in Paris, the Paris shows then were before the NY shows, she came back to NY with a very very short hair cut. A hair person had burned it crimping it for a show with a very hot crimping iron! One of the best hair people in the business took her to his salon in Paris and gave her a “new” short cut. Everyone loved it……everyone except Bill Blass……Where was his Carol Lombard? He came around and realized he too had to “get with the new look”. Even designers can get stuck in the past……..being relevant, and recognizing that a new thing was happening sometimes took a kick in the a__Eventually, I convinced Jac to work exclusively for me. We spent many days and nights in the Anne Klein studio where I would drape and design the clothes right on Jac……She was my MUSE…..my INSPIRATION……….The rest of our story is history……………………………….
When ever Jac and I went out, whether it was to a local restaurant or a black tie gala……she always stood out when she entered a room. It’s not that she was trying to, but she was just so beautiful…. she glowed. Eyes always went to her. When we would sit at a table I would find myself staring at her…….She was just so lovely…. Jac was so graceful and so elegant. I would love to see the way she tilted her head when she spoke or was listening to who ever it was she was sitting next to. Many times we were split up which didn’t make us happy. It however, gave me the opportunity to watch her and admire the beautiful way she moved her hands and her gestures….her smile……I was so proud!……………She was taken from me much too soon. There were still so many things we still wanted to do together…..so many journeys and adventures ahead………….I will miss her every second of my life, and I pray every day that we will be together again to continue on our journey…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Louis, I thought you might appreciate this poem.
Reflections
© David John Love
Remember all those happy days, those times she called our own
In all those well-loved places where you now grieve alone.
And those small endearing gestures, which you thought you knew so well,
Are fading, as time passes, with her words, her kiss, her smell.
But then there is that moment, that time within the day,
When you feel she is beside you in that old familiar way.
But as you turn to see her smile or receive a tender touch,
There’s only a dark shadow of the one you loved so much.
And tears begin to fall in that hole of deep despair,
And memories overwhelm you – more than your heart can bear.
As you remember her gentle grace and her love so soft but strong,
Your heart will simply miss a beat as you miss her life, her song.
You want to rewind the clock and say how much you care;
You want to silence the talk that she’s not there to share.
But you smile and chat amiably to family and friends
And hope they do not notice your world is at an end.
But she knows that you will carry on because she told you true
That if she had to choose again, she would still choose you.
Dear Belle Femme, only someone who has suffered a great loss could have written this poem, because every line seems to have been written for me. Jac always called our home, “our separate peace, where nothing could touch us or harm us”……The words are exactly how I feel, and they made me cry, but that’s Okay, because I have come to understand that all the tears I shed are sacred tears for my Jac. Thank you for this beautiful poem.
Louis, my heart aches for you. I battled cancer in 2015. I know how difficult it was for my husband and family. I can’t imagine leaving them behind. I’m so sorry for your loss and pray for you to find strength and joy from your memories of your beloved. God bless you and give you peace.
Dear Louis, I’m just heartbroken for you, I’m so sorry. Thank you for your beautiful memorial and for taking us along on your fabulous adventure with Jac. Please know that many people care about you very much!
Dear Louis,
Jac was a beautiful woman.More importantly she had a beautiful heart ❤️!! I can tell from the way you speak of her that Jac was a loving,thoughtful & caring person. You were a very lucky man to have had her in your life.Jac chose you as her life partner.That says that you too have a beautiful heart!! Jac was lucky to have had you in her life as well.
I believe in eternal love.You & Jac are connected forever.Until you are reunited she will continue to love & guide you.When you smile Jac will be smiling.When you cry Jac will cry & give you strength to continue on.When you want to give up Jac will lift you up & carry you through to the light.
Thank you Louis for allowing us to help you through these tough times.Please continue to lean on us!!
I will continue to pray for you &Jac.
Thank you for sharing with us your lovely stories about Jac. I loved hearing about her natural grace. Few are blessed with natural grace. You clearly had a lovely life together. My deepest sympathy Louis on Jac’s passing.
I always enjoyed reading her tales about her modeling career. She brought the people to life when she wrote. Louis, keep those good memories alive.
Regards,
Chris
Ah, no wonder you fell hard, Louis. Such a sweet face, and who could resist those eyes!? You gave her such a wonderful life. Thank you so much for sharing this photo and your story. I hope to see and hear many more!
~Madame
Madame…….it was really Jac who gave me the wonderful life.
Louis, What a great head shot…she was so incredibly beautiful. Thank you for sharing her very interesting story. You WILL be together again to continue on your journey with Jac. Sending, love, prayers and hugs.
I love these stories about Jac. What a beautiful love story. One thing I always noted about her was the fact that she didn’t wear some giant diamond engagement ring like many in the fashion world, but instead just a simple gold band. So classy. LDO, how many years were you married?
This Feb 3rd would have been 18 years, but we lived together many years before we got married. We decided early on that with our careers we didn’t want children. We two were all we ever needed or wanted.
Kate she never wanted jewelry, and all I ever wanted was to buy her beautiful jewelry. One Christmas I went to Verdura. They have a salon on 5th Ave. in the building across from Bergdorf. If you didn’t know about it you would never know it was there. I forget what floor it was on. I went there to buy Jac something special for one Christmas. They were wonderful, and I told them I wanted something very special for my wife. They showed pieces and explained each one. The one I fell in love with was a Burmese Rudy channel set bracelet. They explained the rubies from Burma were very rare and they had stopped mining them for quite some time. This was it…I left Verdura with the bracelet in my pocket! They never asked for a credit card or anything. They new who I was and just let me leave with this incredible bracelet…..I said but what if something should happen to it? I hadn’t even signed a paper that I had taken it…They told me not to worry it was insured…..They were very classy to say the least…I couldn’t wait to give it to her, and when Jac opened it of course she thought it was beautiful, and I told her the whole story of how rare Burmese rubies were and how the bracelet would only increase in value. She told me she loved it, but I had to take it back! I asked her why didn’t she think it was beautiful, and she answered she did, but she didn’t need it and she didn’t want me to spend the money for it. I actually pleaded with her to keep it. It looked so beautiful on her, but she insisted and said she had enough beautiful bracelets I had already given her. You can imagine how embarrassed I was when I had to returned it. They were very gracious. All Jac wore every day was a very fine gold bracelet that had two thin wires that separated in the front and had tiny little spaced out diamonds between the two wires. Her mother had given it to her years ago and that’s what she loved and that’s what she wore. That’s all she wanted.
This says so much about her grace and her depth of character. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing the head shot of Jac and her story. I always enjoyed her writing about her experiences in the industry and urged her to write a book. I’ll say the same to you. Hoping the photos and writing is helping you work through this time.
Julia
That was such a touching tribute. I love hearing about Jac, she was so inspirational.
Agree whole heartedly with Ann/TourEiffel’s brilliant suggestion to design a line in honor of Jac. Brilliant!
Such a stunningly beautiful woman, inside and out. The epitome of class and elegance. Yet, she seemed so genuine and kind. You were blessed to have each other…
Louis
What a beautiful tribute to your Jac.
The words that stuck out were graceful and elegant.
Fits her to the T.
I saw that in Jac when she modeled on the Q.
Love the story!
Take care
Lovely!
Be well!
Dear Louis,
Thank you for sharing. Share as much and as often as you need. I adore you both and will always listen.
My dad still carries a photo of my mother and asks people to guess how old she was. This reminds me of that in the sweetness.
Dear Louis,
I have tears rolling down my face as I write this. What a beautiful love story. Thank you for sharing. I love checking your blog to visit with you. I hope you feel that we’re all keeping you company.
Mary
Dear Louis,
Thank you for sharing your touching love story. I agree with others who wrote that you are very talented expressing yourself in words.
Jac’s beauty was incandescent; just look a the light emitting from her face in the photo above. Like an angel. Really, her beauty was so extraordinary that Givenchy’s fondness for her is easily understood.
Perhaps you can establish a scholarship in her name at your alma mater, the Parsons School of Design. For each winner, Jac would be his or her muse, and she would continue to inspire beautiful fashions, just as she did with you.
This scholarship does not have to be a full-ride scholarship, of course, but of some substance. (Schools are shockingly expensive.)
A “Jac Dell’Olio” scholarship would have your beloved’s name as well as yours, and your legacy will endure.
Dear Louis —
I’ve been thinking about you and the anguish, grief, and sadness you’e experiencing as your love was taken from you way too soon. I’ve been thinking about Jac too, her stunning beauty, grace, and style, and how much I will miss seeing her in your clothes. Your post about Jac’s outstanding career is wonderful. Not at all surprising that Jac was the favorite of top European designers. I’ve also been thinking about an earlier post where you told us that you had not been able to go into your studio because it is emblematic of Jac. Then it came to me — what if you design a collection in honor of Jac, a collection that represents Jac’s superior taste, grace and beauty? Please forgive me if this idea is too painful to consider. But maybe designing a Jac collection could be therapeutic and help you process unspeakable grief. God bless.
With much love,
Ann/TourEiffel
Dear Louis,
I always loved reading Jac’s stories, her writing just flowed. Thank you for continuing to share her with us.
Talking about the ones we love keeps them with us….always.
Love and prayer, Elaine .
Dear Louis,
Thank you for your post today. Your life with Jac is one of the most beautiful love stories ever told. It is encouraging and inspiring to all who reads it. Your words about Jac and your love for her are so eloquently written. Please know that the beautiful words of love are helping others. You are continually in my thoughts and prayers. God bless you Louis.
Your love for each other is an inspiration. As I said before, you need to write a book about your life with Jac and your life together. You are writng your story to all of us who care for you both. When you are ready look back at these posts that you share with us and see them, as we see them, a beautiful love story that will inspire others.
Dear Louis, thank you for sharing this wonderful remembrance of Jac with us! She is so beautiful, and ethereal, even at such a young age. I’m reassured to see that you are able to speak of these happy memories, because healing will surely follow. Know that you have a willing audience for all that you are able to share. We’re here every day, hoping to hear from you and to let you know that you are not alone on this journey. You’ve made so many friends through this blog and QVC, and we’re all here for you!
Dear Louis,
You are a man of many talents. You write as well as the best authors and your designs are perfection. I pray that each day becomes a little easier.
Beryl
Dear Louis,
What an exquisite photo!! You and Jac are both fabulous writers. When Jac would share her stories on FB, I adored them—and when they were “….to be continued”, it was like waiting for the next episode of a favorite TV show or next chapter of a captivating book. Her word pictures were marvelous!! Keep writing, keep telling your story, her story, and keep the faith. We love it—I am sure Jac loves it—and I think it is good for you. I call that a WIN WIN WIN for all of us.
With love and regards,
Karla
Dear Louis, Thank you for the story! I always read and greatly enjoyed Jac’s stories on Facebook – she was captivating even via her written word! Louis, please work hard to keep your faith that you will be reunited one day and know that your love story continues. I’ve always thought keeping one’s faith absolute is the most difficult during life’s most trying times, but you MUST keep the faith. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever you will be reunited with your lovely Jac one day, and in many ways you will never really be parted from her. She is with you always, you know this. My prayers continue for you, my dear friend. You are very loved and supported by so many of us, let that help soothe your grieving soul even if only a tiny bit.
Dearest Louis,
Thank you for sharing this enthralling & beautiful story. I always enjoyed reading Jac’s stories on her Facebook page–I was mesmerized, as I was again today with the one you told of her start in the industry. I’ve often thought when reading Jac’s next installment…there is a book here. Your journey and story inspire us all. Blessings and comfort to you this Sunday.
Dear Louis,
Thank you so much for this story. I have read all of Jac’s Stories on her Facebook page and loved them. I think about you each day and first thing in the morning check this page to see how you are doing. If it helps you, please bring us more stories. And always, always, always know we are here for you,crying with you, and sending lots of love and hugs and prayers to help you through this new journey. You are so blessed to have found such a wonderful love.
God bless,
Bernadette
Louis, you, too, have a talent for writing. It’s no wonder Jac loved hearing your stories! This one is so beautiful, as beautiful as Jac. Her kindness, graciousness, elegance, always, stood out. Her beauty was undeniable. It is an honor to see her through your eyes. I had the pleasure of meeting Givenchy, more than once. I worked for a French Antique dealer in NY and he was a client. He was stunningly good looking and quite tall but he had the most beautiful manners and kindness for all he met. I can see why he and Jac were drawn to each other. How very blessed you and Jac were to have shared a life and a love that is never ending. Your words and stories of her are as beautiful as your love for her. How very kind of you to share that with us. Thank you. I pray for your heart to mend and for your tears to lessen. oxoxoxoxoxox Cat
Dear Louis, Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. My heart goes out to you.