David Bowie, Iman Redux

Iman

The designer Tory Burch inspired me to recall my time at Bergdorf Goodman, when beautiful, famous people like Iman, would come in to shop and to browse. 

I was, like everyone else, saddened to hear of the loss of David Bowie at the young age of 69, and while I never saw him perform, he was a huge influence on me and my friends back in the late 1970's. 

I can't even begin to imagine anyone more beautiful, graceful, or elegant than Iman.  The staff at BG was pretty much numb to seeing celebrities and selling to them, so we really never fawned over them.  We just tried to treat them like anyone else.  DB r.i.p.  DF *****  

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Bergdorf Goodman, 111 Years of Fashion

Bergdorf Goodman!  I've enjoyed shopping there for years- and I have wonderful stories to share with you as BG celebrates its 111th year of business.  Founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf, it began as a small tailor shop in Union Square, and in 1928 opened on Fifth Avenue.  BG is now part of the Neiman Marcus Group, and the Mens Store opened in 1990, and what a beautiful place it is.  Powerful women of fashion, such as Dawn Mello, and Ellin Saltzman, have promoted the BG image, as well as the careers of world famous designers for many years, and I do recall being able to peek into Ms Mello's personal office, a minimal statement done in Dior grey, and her desk was entirely devoid of anything- well, maybe a telephone, but that's it!

Dawn Mello with Giorgio Armani

I once was on the jitney to east hampton and spied Ms. Saltzman jumping on, I should have said something to her, I think I did, maybe a "hello" LOL!  Anyway, I'm getting to my BG story, a real shocker, but not so unusual for New York.  But first, I do recall the buzz when Mrs John Grisham phoned in a $32,000 order for (16) Royal Copenhagen Flora Danica dinner plates...My friend Bob Page in Greensboro, owns a business called Replacements Limited, and he currently has these for around $999 each, get 'em while they last!  And it was always fun to bump into Frederic' Fekkai on the elevator...he arrived in 1989 - with a beautiful salon on the seventh floor.

I would sometimes wander downstairs, (we also would sneak upstairs, into the old top floor apartment where the Goodman family once lived) and admire the beautiful clothes of Bill Blass.  I always loved his sense of colour and feeling for fabrics. He had been the speaker at our graduation from FIT, and it was a very powerful, encouraging message he sent out to us.  We also had lots of other boutiques, at BG, including Howard Slatkin, foreshadowing Kelly Wearstler ( a fellow southerner btw) and Gregory, the subject of my story I'm getting to, worked there.  I recall always walking by the east 70th street house of Bunny Mellon, which was across from another Slatkin shop. It was always one of my favorite houses, painted in a light ivory stucco, with beautiful lacquered doors.  I read that it recently sold for around 15 million.

My co-worker, Gregory- he was always dressed to the nines, in beautiful double breasted suits, and he wore his hair slicked straight back.  He was a native New Yorker, and because he commuted between NYC and Florida, always deeply tanned.  He wore Charvet ties, and Cartier tortoise shell and gold glasses, which were round...like Phillip Johnson or Carrie Donovan.  He would shop in the store (BG) on his "day off" - so that we could all see him walking his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a beautiful puppy, whose name was - Cartier.  And, Gregory smoked. Cartier cigarettes.  Who knew?

So, anyway, I did find him an interesting character, and I remember he invited me over to his apartment for drinks.  When I got there, he seemed a bit surprised to see me- I don't think he thought I would actually show up. It was funny, because the manager of the BG seventh floor was there- and I saw that Gregory had a pretty nice apartment- on a high floor in a mediocre modern building near midtown.  He had a LOT of expensive looking accessories on every surface, including many silver framed photographs, showing him posed in front of his "Uncle Norman's" Rolls.  I called G's boyfriend his uncle, since he was always introduced as such, or even a grandfather, but he was really the partner, and I have a feeling he was financing  some of Gregory's lavish lifestyle.  Sadly, after I had re-located to Naples, I decided to call up dear Norman, over in Fort Lauderdale.  I must have looked him up in information.  It was so sad, and so shocking.  He told me that, after I had left, poor Gregory was caught shoplifting from BG, and the police were called, and he was escorted out by them- for all to see.  This saddened me.  Then, Norman tells me, (it gets worse)  dear Gregory got more and more into cocaine, and he checked into the Four Seasons (a penthouse suite) and hung himself from a chandelier with some knotted up Charvet ties.  This shocked me so badly, it took me weeks to get over it.  I had no idea.  Poor Cartier, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was taken away- I think one of the police officers took him.  A tale of old New York- one that is not so uncommon.  Sad, but true.  RIP dear Gregory.  I hope that you are now in the Palm Beach and Park Avenue of Heaven.  DF XXOO

  

Jewelry As Inspiration and Symbolism

I often meet beautiful women (and men) here in sunny Naples, who are well dressed, well traveled, and well accessorized.  For men, it's mostly about the watch, for ladies, there is more expression.  Even if you don't own a second or third home - you can still be chic and elegant! Go on the sites Kenneth Jay Lane or Amanda Jaron.

Elizabeth Taylor comes to mind at the opposite extreme of collecting.  Her collection sold last year at  Christies for over $115 million, and Kim Kardashian was a big buyer at that sale.  Here, the late ET is shown wearing the fabulous Krupp diamond, which Richard bought for $385,000 in 1968 at the old Parke-Bernet (now called Sotheby's).  Imagine what that translates to in todays currency!   I had a customer when I worked at Bergdorfs, who later became a friend, the Baroness - and she had a similar HUGE yellow diamond that just mesmerized me.  Her hands were so white (she wore gloves) and her nails were the most brilliant of scarlet!  It was really something.  She also wore hats with veils.

One of the fun things about working at BG was that we got to eat all the caviar the day it "expired" We loved it. We also got to eat all of the Maison Au Chocolat truffles as well, as we would not sell them if they were one day past the date.  The seventh floor is the best if you must work in retail.  Once, some customer dropped a Cartier bracelet on the floor, they lost it, and we gave it to the Lost and Found Department.  There are people in NYC who charge hundreds of thousands a month at Bergdorf Goodman.  But I digress!  Above, Liz wears the 1960's Bulgari "Grand Duchess Vladimir Suite", a parure of emeralds and diamonds.  Tice was in Paris and had a large emerald carved with his (Alexander) family crest, and mounted in yellow gold, as a masculine and aristocratic ring.  One of the Robert Metzger clients I was assigned to always wore emeralds and diamonds, and we would go to all the antique shops in her Mercedes limousine.  My friend Mary, also a client of mine, gave me a stunning set of Mario Villa cufflinks, which are huge faux emeralds, carved with warrior heads, and set into rough looking Roman gold.  Mario V is another affordable source of chic bijoux for men and women.

Princess Caroline of Monaco owns some Mario Villa pieces.  This "Mars Brooch" by Mario V is ultra chic, and not as costly as it might appear to be.  Mario comes from Nicaragua, and lives and works in fabulous New Orleans, Louisiana.  He also makes furniture, (save for another post) and has become very successful due to talent and hard work.  I'm excited that we are getting a new jeweler in our Mercato, Mark Loren Designs, stay tuned for more on ML.  One of our other Naples shopping venues, called Waterside, has FOURTEEN jewelry stores!

This gorgeous sapphire brooch, by JAR of Paris, sold for $230,500 at Christies.  As beautiful as it is, and it is, my friend, Amanda Jaron (shown above) could make something for you that would be just as special, but not cost what a new Bentley might.  Amanda is so talented, and her studio is located across from the aforementioned Waterside Shops, here in Naples.  Ah...I still vividly recall the time I was helping George with his Tiffany Table Setting, at 57th and Fifth, NYC, when I got to ride up in the lift with none other than Paloma Picasso, the iconic French designer.  I think of her often, her lips were made up like a work of art, so rich against her very pale blanc de chine face!  You see, all of my life, my father has worked in the jewelry business, and we were often in Beverly Hills on business.  It's a good life, and we all benefited greatly.  Thank goodness for deBeers!   DF XXOO