………………………..On one of the trips Angela and Chantal took to my house, we went to the warehouse where I stored all of my Linea and some Anne Klein samples. I had asked them if anyone wanted this beautiful antique hand paint farm house hutch Jac and I bought many years ago, that was also stored there. When we added the “gathering room” onto the house it no longer had a place for the hutch, and it sat in the storage facility for years. Angela said she would love to have it. We made plans for her and her husband to come and get it…but…..he couldn’t make it, and she and Chantal would come and get it on their own!. I told her it was IMPOSSIBLE for the two of them and old me to move this massive solid piece….but she said they were STRONG ITALIAN GIRLS…..BULL SH–! I arranged for Lou and Franco to meet us at my house at 2pm and we would all go together. It’s a good thing they came or this hutch wouldn’t have made it two feet with just the three of us. It took a lot of lifting, maneuvering and tilting to get this piece out into the hall, down the elevator and into the truck, which was the hardest part, but we did it! We let the guys go and the three of us went back to my storage room where they commenced to fill four or five huge garbage bags of sample Linea clothes, a few Anne Klein pieces, plus many plastic containers of sweaters…..Off we went back to the house! It was now about 4:00 and we had a 6:00 dinner reservation at a restaurant in Rowayton call “The Restaurant” It’s a sweet little fish restaurant on the water….charming and good food. We had wine and some of the things I laid out to munch on….cheeses and crackers, celery and carrot sticks with dip, radishes, guacamole, pepperoni, figs, chocolate covered almonds, and some clementines to while away the time, and relax before we had to get ready for dinner. Angela asked if I would pick out Linea clothes for them to wear to dinner, so earlier in the day before they arrived, I chose two outfits for them to wear with accessories. After the turmoil of getting the hutch and all of the samples we needed a rest. We were sitting and relaxing when we heard the girls, Lily and Sammy, outside barking like lunatics. Angela got worried, but I said they do that all the time when they see rabbits or squirrels….but….she had to see for herself so Chantal and I followed her out side to see what all the commotion was about…………..It wasn’t bunnies or squirrels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Louis,
What was outside that had the girls barking?????????
Donna there are 4 collages , 3 more after “The Visit”….that tell the whole story. It was a ground hog! Read “The Battle”.
What a magnificent hutch, and being an antique was probably three times heavier than it looks. Even if the
transport was a challenge, it was a wonderful and generous gift to Angela. I have the Stone jacket, it’s so pretty worn as a “riding boot” outfit. I missed the matching pants in stone but your taupe Ponte pants were a perfect match!
I’ve just been catching up and reading you so interesting and fun stories, Louis. Glad the girls are ok and you Angela and Chantal had such a memorable fun visit and it all ended well and so enjoyable. You are a wonderful storyteller and historian—so interesting! Thank you so much for doing your blog and know how much we enjoy it—and of course laugh too!
Louis, That was quite the day you and all the girls had! I enjoy reading your Blog every day!
Seka.
Great story with a good ending! Nice to see you having some fun! I too own the stone suede jacket. I am intrigued to see it paired with white and stone boots! Every single time I read your blog I learn something new! ❤️
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire story. Thanks for sharing all of the trial and tribulations. I’m so glad that the girls were fine.
On a fashion note, I have the jacket that Chantal is wearing in the above pictures. I also have the one that you did in dark olive. I love those jackets and guard them like the crown jewels! Lol.
Great stories Louis! Loved reading them all today! You could write a great book!
Louis
I just love reading your stories. We’re you part of the American designer group invited to Paris to do a show? I’m pretty sure AK participated. I’ll bet that trip was really interesting.
Suzy
Dear Suzanne, the show you are referring to was “The Battle of Versaille”. It was a fashion show of 5 American designers and 5 French designers. It was to benefit the restoration of Versaille which was literally in terrible condition. It was the first time the “Americans” showed in force “against” the French, and of course everyone thought the French would come out as victors. Anne Klein was one of the 5 along with Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, Halston and Steven Burrows. Anne was there but she was secretly battling a return of breast cancer. She wanted to wait until after this important event to go back to the doctors for confirmation. I didn’t work for the company until after her death the following March of 1974. The show was in Nov of 73′. I was not there, but Jac, at 17, was one of the American models. I believe there were 40 in total. The French showed first. It lasted 2 and 1/2 hours of an over produced, gaudy show….they miscalculated badly. It just came off as a big bore and the clothes were overshadowed by the stage sets and the performers. When it was the Americans turn….there were no sets just a black curtain. The only entertainment was Liza Minelli opening and closing the American segment. 5 designers showed in 30- 35 minutes. The models and the clothes were the stars and there was wild applause and a standing ovation. The audience threw their gold pamphlets into the air. It was 100% that the Americans won with their fresh clean exciting, and MODERN presentation. You can google “The Battle of Versaille”, but I do not think it was a true representation of what took place. Jac did 4 of the 5 segments! and there is only 2 pictures of her. It was the first time there were so many Black models in Paris, and the French were stunned by the way they moved and showed the clothes….This show made stars of many of them. Anne Klein’s segment was inspired by Africa and she used many black girls with lots of bare clothes. Jac had lots of stories. She was so young and inexperienced she acted like a fly on the wall taking it all in. The conditions were horrible…..cold, no bathrooms, and no food! The French rehearsed all day and the Americans had to rehearse at night. In the end the Americans triumphed!!!! and the French never forgot it….They were totally humiliated for looking, the worst of all things….OLD FASHIONED!
Oh, Louis, thank you for reminding me! There was a documentary called Battle at Versailles narrated by Stanley Tucci it’s no longer available. It was so good, so many stories. Halston’s noise got out of joint and he threw up his hands and walked otf, Kay Thomson was supposed to do the staging and musical numbers, she had enough and walked! Liza Minelli was left to put on a show and boy did she ever in true Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney style. As you mentioned no scenery, no music except for a boom box and tapes! Boy was it a show. I wish I knew Jac was in it at the time I watched! It had to have been fabulous to a 17 year old. I wish they would re-issue it! Of all the models that had the best time because they said to hell with it and had a good time strutting their stuff were Stephen Burrows’ models.
Deborah Tuberville, a photographer, did a spread (think it was Vogue) of Versailles before the restoration. The photos were hauntingly beautiful. I’ve never been able to find them since but they remain in my memory every time Versailles is mentioned.
Jac said it was a nightmare. It was so cold and the models were in the basement. The people in charge of the set made a huge mistake and used “INCHES instead of “CENTIMETERS”…so nothing fit properly and it all had to be scraped. They were forced to use the plain black curtain. Kay Thompson and Halston had a battle royal….screaming and yelling and he left threatening not to return. The French used an orchestra and the Americans used a cassette player….but….the music was fabulous over the speakers….They used all of the hot American music at the time which only made the American’s show so much more modern. Everything that fell through ended up being a fabulous blessing in the end… They were forced to let the models, the music and the clothes BE THE SHOW!….NO GIMMICKS which was exactly what the French show had in spades. Jac said Chip Rubenstein, Anne Klein’s husband had food brought in for the models and tried to make it as comfortable as possible. Jac just tried to stay out of the way, and basically hide. One of her funny stories was….she sneaked away to have a cigarette. She was all alone in this beautiful room just about to light her cigarette, when two men walked in. They saw what she was about to do and walked over to her for a light. She smoked her cigarette and watched them smoke theirs speaking French. They never said a word, but one of the men she said was incredibly handsome. Later on that evening, because they were all literally trapped there, she was watching the opening of a segment for the French and this ballet dancer comes leaping across the stage. It was Nureyev! The handsome man she gave a light to! At 17 she had no idea who he was. She learned that night.
Louis, thank you! So sweet and innocent…………..just love your stories. I enjoy them so much, you have a wonderful way of writing. It’s very personal as if you and I were having a conversation, a one on one. You draw all of us in, a glass of wine, a cigarette, a delightful conversation and a joyous litany of stories that totally fascinate me! Jac had a special gift of writing as well. i know her notes to you have a healing power and special treasures and become in some ways a visit. Your writings for us are the same………….a wonderful visit that we treasure and eagerly await each new one! Cat
Hi Louis and Somersault,
Robin Givhan wrote a wonderful book “The Battle of Versailles” about 4 years ago.
She gave a lecture at the time at F.I.T., it’s worth a read.
Also, I did see the documentary, along with the Halston one which covered “The Battle”!
What an exciting time.
Elaine
Thanks for this account! Wish Jac was here to tell all.
This is better than reading a book. Can you put it on kindle?
I love this. I have a similar cupboard in my dining room that I inherited from my folks, and those girls were VERY optimistic if they thought the 3 of you were going to be able to move that on your own. At least yours had castors on it; mine has none, and my moving guys (who, thankfully, were all in their 20s) had to carry that thing in, down some steps and then UP some steps) before it was placed in a spot from which I dared not tell them I wanted it moved even an INCH, lol. Franco and Lou are GOLDEN.
April, there weren’t any castors on the hutch. It would have been easier if it had them.
Oh Louis! it sounds like you ,Angela & Chantal are close friends. That’s awesome that you get to spend quality time together. I can tell that you have a lot of fun.. Thankfully, they were there to help you with your girls.They are also lucky to have scored those samples of your masterpieces.I miss you at QVC. You brought a level of class that is no longer there.
Louis, this made me laugh so much! Angela and Chantal had such a good time with you, Franco and Lou getting this loaded triumphantly loaded into the van. This was such a good visit as well as an adventure. You and the girls when you get together, certainly, have stories to tell. Delighted you had a very good visit and a great time together! It’s clear the girls adore you! Cat