A Very Glamorous New Year
London Fashion 1989: Zandra Rhodes, Jean Muir, John Galliano, and many more
Happy New Year! While 2024 was most notable in my life for having a baby, even with maternity leave I sent out sixty-nine newsletters on incredibly varied subjects. The diversity of topics is particularly noticeable in the below list of the top ten most-read newsletters of the year: two newsletters touching on pregnancy, two on beauty/makeup, and one each on Christmas cards, a restaurant, a fashion designer, personal style, Ice Capades, and Christmas shopping.
Most Popular Sighs & Whispers Newsletters:
Looking back, my personal favourites to write have been my long deep-dives into mostly forgotten designers: this year, Gil Aimbez (parts one and two) and Tan Giudicelli (parts one and two); previous years, Jon Haggins, Richard Assatly, Adolfo, Bobby Breslau, Jean Bouquin, and Janice Wainwright, among others. Hopefully, 2025 will be my year to take on recording the lives and careers of many more under-remembered designers.
Speaking of fashion designers that should be better known, this 1989 Town & Country editorial features the hottest British designers of the late eighties: some dead, some alive but long out of business, some still chugging along on a small-scale, one who later became a superstar (John Galliano, who only received a quarter of a page here), many only remembered by fashion history lovers, others completely forgotten. Many of these designers—Bruce Oldfield, Jean Muir, Alistair Blair—are interviewed by Nicholas Coleridge in his 1988 exploration of the fashion industry, The Fashion Conspiracy: A Remarkable Journey Through the Empires of Fashion. While I plan to return to many of them again in the future, for now I’m wishing I had that Rifat Ozbek leopard-print dress to wear for my quiet New Year’s Eve at home…
Town & Country, April 1989
Photographs by Skrebneski. Produced by Mary Louise R. Norton and Virginia M. Stephens. Hair and makeup by Leonardo De Vega for Gisela Metzler Inc.
Larky London is a fashionable's favorite again. Not since the swing of the Sixties has everyone had so much fun with fashion, led by a Princess who's simply Di-namite. This has always been the city for impeccable tailoring, dresses for grand occasions and not a little wit. Our gallery of today's top design talents and their patrons was photographed at Claridge's.
Zandra Rhodes, in her own black turtleneck dress, with Pamela Stephenson, in a Rhodes bustier and skirt. To order at Elizabeth Arden Salon; Martha, Palm Beach; Neiman Marcus. Diamond jewelry from Garrard.
Antony Price's clothes, celebrity favorites, are designed for women who "want to be in the spotlight." The Evening Standard's fashion editor Caroline Kellett wears a printed silk hoop skirt. At Suzy, Great Neck NY; Ralph Davies, San Francisco. Garrard jewelry.
The elegance of the Emanuels, which gave That Wedding Dress its grace, gilds this silk taffeta dress. Julia Ogilvy works for crown jeweler Garrard, and is wearing Garrard's pearls. Dress to order at Elizabeth Arden Salon; Lou Lattimore, Dallas.
Note: Like Princess Diana, I wore a vintage wedding dress by the Emanuels to get married.
Next generation of the acting Redgraves: shooting star Joely Richardson. Her new film is Drowning by Numbers. She's in Alistair Blair's fluorescent pink slink with white bodice. To order at Neiman Marcus. Pearl-and-diamond jewelry from Garrard.
Rifat Ozbek brings out the animal in Lucy Ferry, wife of singer Bryan Ferry, mother of Otis and Isaac. Leopard print tops a black dress. Available at Martha, NYC; Nuages, Aspen CO; Madeleine Gallay, West Hollywood CA. Gray and white pearl bracelets, diamond-and-pearl earrings from Graff.
Laura Ashley was known for her love of the countryside, and son Nick, now design director, continues her romantic style with flower-strewn dresses like this for model Sophie Horenz. At Laura Ashley, NYC, Fair Oaks VA, San Francisco. Jewelry from Garrard.
A great drape from Jean Muir, the master of materials like this jersey and crepe. Actress Glenda Jackson has just completed work on the film of D.H Lawrence's The Rainbow. Dress at Bergdorf Goodman; Linda Dresner, Birmingham MI; Ultimo, Chicago.
British classics from David Watts, chief designer at Jaeger, worn by actress/author Nanette Newman. Red silk seersucker jacket, top and trousers at Jaeger, NYC. Necklace and Elsa Peretti cuff and earrings from Tiffany & Co.
Dynamo Anouska Hempel's work, like this spotted net dress worn by Diana Donovan, is known for its dramatic details. Dress to order at Bergdorf Goodman. Graff diamond-drop earrings.
Actress Theresa Russell is all aflutter in Bruce Oldfield's black-and-white taffeta dress. To order at Bruce Oldfield, London. Diamond-and-pearl jewelry from Garrarg.
Betty Jackson is an award-winning designer of both womens- and menswear. Lady Michael Cecil relaxes in her printed and sequined silks. At Untitled, NYC. Sapphire and diamond earrings from Asprey.
Beyond the raincoat—Burberrys’ signature tartan in a jacket, just the thing for Lady Chichester's forays in from the country. Burberrys, NYC. Garrard jewelry. Ken Lazarus is design director of Burberrys Ltd.
Black bias-cut dress is simple, sublime on stylist Catherine Bailey, wife of photographer David Bailey. Designer John Galliano drew inspiration from Lartigue's work. Dress at Holt Renfrew, Canada. Garrard jewelry.
Interior designer Lady Jane Churchill wears Arabella Pollen's bold black-and-white stripes. Henri Bendel, NYC. Shoes, Rayne for Arabella Pollen. Hat, Gilly Forge for Arabella Pollen. Garrard jewelry.
A woman of substance, Mrs. Barbara Taylor Bradford chooses favorites from the Aquascutum Ltd. collection, like this wool/viscose dress and jacket for spring Aquascutum, NYC. Mrs. Marianne Abrahams is fashion director. Garrard jewelry.