Last night Fern Mallis, the host of the 92nd StreetY’s Fashion Icons series, interviewed legendary fashion writer Mary Lou Luther as several of the New York fashion industry’s heavyweights listened in, including Fashion Designer Norma Kamali.
Fern Mallis is primarily credited with transforming New York Fashion Week into one of the significant fashion events on the international circuit. Her guest, Mary Lou Luther, is credited with making designers like Derek Lamb a household name and helping reporters gain access to seeing new fashions at the same time as most buyers.
Marylou Luther’s unparalleled 70-year career, which included stints with the Des Moines Register, The Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, the LA Times Syndicate, and Fashion Group International, afforded her access to the most influential designers. Her new book, Be-spoke, Revelations from the World’s Most Important Fashion Designers, published by Rizzoli, features quotes from her interviews with 72 designers, from Christian Dior in 1957 to Kirby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss and colorful illustrations by Ruben Toledo.
Here are a few fun takeaways from this enchanting evening of oral history on fashion:
Costume Designer Edith Head kept her eight Acamady Awards on display everywhere she went, including in her trailer while on film locations. She once said, “I’ve designed films I’ve never seen. If it is a Paramount film, I probably designed it.” But apparently, her unparalleled success did not make her immune to criticism. She thought it was important to remind new upstart designers who she was and her numerous accomplishments. According to Mary Lou, Edith Head kept young designers waiting in her trailer, staring at her shelf of Oscars to curb their enthusiasm for offering their advice to her on set.
Coco Chanel sat at the top of her stairs and watched the audience react to her clothes and fashion show at her atelier at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. MarMarylou’svorite quote is from Coco Chanel in an article she wrote for the LA Times, “Fa” he fades. Only style remains the same. Only those with no memory insist on their originality. Yves Saint Laurent has excellent taste. The more he copies me, the better like he displays.”
Karl Lagerfeld was a genius with fabric, color, and silhouette and a wizard in set design. According to Mary Lou Luther, Karl Lagerfeld turned fashion shows into spectacles. She recalled how he went to great lengths to design and build elaborate sets for his runway shows.
New York Times’ legendary Fashion Photographer, Bill Cunningham, a friend of Luther’s, was one of the most honest people she knew. At 93, she seems to agree wholeheartedly with his work ethic of never stopping. A decade ago, she started writing the syndicated column Clotheslines, which deals with whatever fashion-related topics her readers want to ask. Five million people read her column weekly. Her answers come from her “long history of hearing similar questions” and from what she learns during her trips to the semi-annual fashion openings, trips she has been making since 1969.
Her no-nonsense, objective approach to reporting on fashion has earned legions of readers and people like designer Todd Oldham. The designer describes Mary Lou’s writing style: “She can make fashion writing interesting to a truck driver.”
The happy healthcare host, Mr. Divabetic, presents a diva-style approach to diabetes empowerment on this podcast for fashion lovers.
Get the scoop on what Hemoglobin A1 C is on ‘Sexy Little Numbers’ related to diabetes health with the help of Patricia Addie-Gentle RN, CDCES. The A1C reflects your average blood sugar level over a two to three-month period.
Leading fashion experts dish on the latest trends before playing the fun fashion game, ‘Buy, Borrow or Burn! with our special guest, Alexis, living with type 1 diabetes.
