Designer

………………..When I went to my brother’s home recently….I spotted this photo of my SIL Kathy and their four children………My brother took this wonderful picture…So many things struck me….Firstly, how beautiful they all are!…and how BLOND they all are! They all have beautiful eyes. John and  Chris at the far left, and Jeannine at the far right, and Kathy all have blue eyes…..Mathew the youngest , blondest and shortest in the photo has the most amazing yellow/green eyes….My brother has hazel eyes…..Matty is now 6′ 5″!!!……..Coming from an Italian family most of us have dark hair, and dark eyes….so my little blond nephews and niece were always a joy for me to see……..What really struck me MOST in the photo was the way they are standing, their expressions and their attitude which shows their personalities to a “T”!!!……..They haven’t changed one tiny bit…except the boys are all over 6 feet tall, and Jeannine is 5’10” like her mom…….The painful loss of my oldest nephew John [far left] in his early twenties, due to a tragic accident….hasn’t dullened with time……They are all now in the 40s and Chris just turned 50!!!…….Where oh where has the time gone?!

………………….I could not let this day end without speaking of my nephew John……..On this day, 24 years ago, my nephew died due to a tragic accident on the Throgs Neck Bridge, in NY. I remember that day like it was yesterday. It was a bitter cold and very windy January day…..My nephew just left his father, my brother Mauro, at their place of business, and was on his way home. My brother left first in separate vehicles….As John was at the pinnacle of the bridge….the truck in front of him lost its’ metal corrugated roof which landed in the path of John’s truck. The way it landed it was blocking the cars behind. The truck driver never knew its’ roof had blown off at that moment….John and two other men got out of their vehicles, and decided they would move this huge piece of metal so that they could drive over it. I won’t go into the details, but a gust of wind came up and the metal piece they were holding blew up and cut my nephew’s neck. He died instantly………That day I had brought my car to the dealership in Manhattan for a tune up. On my way back to the office I heard on the radio about this horrific accident that took place on the bridge….NEVER thinking my nephew was involved……When I got back to the office, after a short while, I was called to the phone, and was told my cousin John was calling me. I thought this was strange, because John never called me, and certainly not at work……He told me to sit down….Then he told me John had died. I immediately thought he was speaking of my older brother….He quickly explained…..no it wasn’t my brother….it was my nephew…..I don’t remember much after that, but I do remember picking Jac up and driving to my brother’s house in a taxi……….John was only in his early twenties……He was a beautiful young man both inside and out. He was very accomplished and played a mean guitar…..He was also a volunteer fireman….At his funeral fireman from all over Long Island came in their dress uniforms…….I think of John often, and wonder what he would be like today….I am sure he would have married and had a few beautiful children……….Every time I drive over that bridge I say hello to him, and say a prayer……I know in my heart he can hear me.

…………………THE END……………..It wasn’t only the end of my Fall show……but the fall show of 1993 was also the end of my TWENTY YEAR career being the head designer of Anne Klein, which I shared with Donna Karan for ten  years…..Anne, Donna and I were the nucleus of the company……There is no doubt, our direction and leadership is what made the company the success it became…..After I left there was a series of five or six designers who followed me….I don’t believe any of them created more than two or three collections before they were fired!……After this stream of designers the Anne Klein Couture Collection was finally closed due to a severe decrease in business….It was a disaster!…..After going through a variety of designers the Anne Klein Couture Collection had totally lost its’ identity and status, and quickly became a shadow of what it once was…The troves of devoted customers were abandoning the company….Due to the fact that many of the licensees no longer had a clear design direction from these new designers, they too lost their relevance and closed their Anne Klein divisions……”Anne Klein” as a brand name lost its’ RELEVANCE!….The “KISS OF DEATH”…….Terrible management and bad judgement was the cause for this FAILURE……When the Anne Klein Company was finally sold it was called a “FIRE SALE” by the press…It sold for a pittance of what it was worth when I left the company…..After the dynasty of the creators, Anne Klein, Donna Karan and myself…..which lasted for 26 YEARS….it was a terrible conclusion to what was once considered one of the biggest power houses of American Sportswear….This story was not unique…..Many designer name companies closed after the designer no longer was the nucleus of the company, and the “business men” took over the reigns…..I’m sure Anne Klein, as the saying goes, was turning in her grave to see what had happened to the company she put her heart and soul into!……..There is also the saying….”all good things must come to an end” and my end had come…..However, new adventures awaited me!!!………I hope you enjoyed this retrospective!

……………………….The last walk on the runway for Christy…….She was wearing a matte jersey, and sheer stretch georgette combination dress. The sheer top had a bandeau of jersey set into the georgette, and the high waisted skirt of the dress was in the jersey too. It was fitted through the hips, and then slightly flared out…..Simple and unadorned….Again, the accessories continued with the theme of the presentation….a knit cap, short jersey gloves, black sheer tights and black satin pointed toe pumps…..I loved this candid shot from the wings of the stage……The end was near!

…………………….I loved these candid shots of the models waiting in the wings for their turn on the runway……while the photographers was taking their pictures capturing the moment….as the lights were flashing….The excitement kept building like a crescendo…..Amber is leaning on the wall in her bugle beaded dress anticipating her turn…….Under the dress she wore a sheer bodysuit…………It was all very exciting as the show was coming to an end!!