…………………….This Saturday….August 24th….at 1:0ppm I will be doing my last FACEBOOK LIVE show for the summer. The next show will be in early October…….I hope you can join Cathy and me for some chatter and fun!
………………..”WHAT A WOMAN!!!!!!!…………MICHELLE OBAMA………is a woman…..a FIRST LADY……..AMERICA CAN BE PROUD OF!……….Can you ever forget all she did as the First Lady!……Children were her priority….I can’t forget those photos of her on the White House lawn creating a vegetable garden with children!!!! The other night, at the Democratic National Convention…….she was riveting!….She speaks with such authority….such a clear vision….such hope and understanding of what this country needs, and must have going forward!……Always the designer….I couldn’t help but see how chic she was in her black tunic and ankle pant, with beautiful flat shoes….Her makeup and hair were perfection…..and…..I couldn’t help but notice the shiny hoop earrings she was wearing!….They looked so FAMILIAR to me….Then I realized they looked exactly like my TWISTED HOOP in STERLING SILVER…..J412541……Thy are also available on my Linea Jewelry site on QVC in 18 Karat Gold and 18 Karat Rose Gold plate…………but………if you want the “Michelle Look”…..the Sterling Silver version are…..DEAD RINGERS!
………………….My nephew CHRISTOPHER………..Yes, this is the same Christopher I took with me to Africa….three years ago this month!!…….I used to call him…..”CHRISTOPHER ROBIN”…….When I called him that he used to give me this quizzical look…like don’t you know my name Uncle Lou….not understanding my reference….He told me, years and years later, he finally looked up who Christopher Robin was…….Chris was always adorable, and even at that young age…3 or 4 in the picture, he had a raspy voice with a very independent personality that I loved…..Jac just adored him!, and used to take him for ice cream cones……Now he’s 51 and 6’3″, and is still adorable! He has the same personality…and raspy VOICE he did back then….He has a GOOD HEART!……He’s my oldest brother Mauro’s second son, and my Godson…….I love this picture of him….It captures him so well……We are very close, and I’m so grateful for that!
………………….”PRINTS”……….for my Anne Klein Couture Collection came from a few different print manufactures in Italy. Some prints I bought from their existing line, and the prints became exclusive to me….Some prints were developed from scratch from ideas I had. Most of my custom prints were done with two print mills….the main one being ETRO out of Milan, Italy……..The print in these photos I designed myself……I had huge sheets of white paper that I actually painted the design upon. I did about 8 versions of the print, and then hung them on my studio wall to see which I liked the best. I did the paintings in black on white, and sent the final art work to ETRO. They then created the “repeat” of the print so they could print the design on their machines. Some of the prints were done with automatic print machines, and some were done on “hand screen panels” depending on the design itself. This print was able to be done on automatic print machines that was always more cost efficient. Of course the price was also determined by the quality of fabric used to print on. These prints were done on a silk crepe. The fabric was weighty enough that I was also able to make the shoes with it. The fabric was sent to my shoe manufacturer. I did about four different styles of shoes using the print. Besides the pump with the sharp angled heel….I recall we did a wide banded flat sandal with a solid black halter leather back strap, and a banded high heel sandal with a criss cross ankle strap also in the print. Once ETRO finished the art work which I approved….I gave them background colors that I wanted the print done in. They would send me the final art work in the different colors for approval, and then they would make small samples of the print in each color combination again for my approval. Once this was done and approved they printed sample pieces of each color which was approx. 50 yards per color…..an expensive proposition, but the fabric was later used for production….Sometimes there was sample yardage of a color that I didn’t use on the collection, and we would offer it to one store as an exclusive color…….As the fabrics were being made I started developing the accessories I wanted to show with the prints. I developed a group of different sized Baroque pearls and different sized faced glass jet black beads that I used in combinations for different style earrings, bracelets and necklaces…..The TORSADE necklace worn here on Gayle Elliot was a massive beautiful piece……There were about 5 or 6 different styles in the print. I did two dresses, two different skirt styles [the sarong, and a simple pencil skirt], a long cardigan jacket with pockets, and a tank top….all to mix and match……….The abstract suedo animal print was a HIT, and sold very well!
…………………….As a designer I had the GREAT LUXURY of working for a company that had many licensees…….To be able to create custom accessories like jewelry and custom shoes that not only worked with the clothes….but were also available to buy by the customers was very special. Not all designers had this luxury…..Only those with large companies behind them with many licensees could have this…….Christy is wearing an A-Line dress in the black and white abstract animal print with cut in armholes and band pockets…….With it she is wearing a magnificent necklace in the black faceted jet stones, baroque pearls mixed in, and large hanging pearl drops….Her clip on earrings were a cluster of jets, pearls and the pearl drops…….The stores loved my Couture jewelry and had cases of just Anne Klein Couture jewelry which was a huge get!…..They would only devote such space to lines that sold well…..and the success of the AK Couture line kept growing season after season….Sometimes you can find some of the Couture pieces on Ebay or other on line sellers, but I rarely see any of these pieces for sale…..They have become true collectors pieces and have quadrupled in price for the most extreme pieces…….but…beware…..many on line vendors claim they are selling real AK Couture pieces, but they aren’t. Each real Couture piece has a tiny metal oval tag that is inscribed AK COUTURE!…..and they usually have hefty prices!