Mature Models: A Breath Of Fresh Air

This was a wonderful week in fashion advertising for me. I cannot even express my thrill land delight at seeing the recent ad campaign by the French fashion house CELINE.

Led by British Fashion designer and Creative Director Phoebe Philo the house features American writer Joan Didion as the new face of the house. At 80 years young Joan in over sized black shades is a vision of character and quite frankly a breath of fresh air.

A documentary about her life was just crowd funded through kisktarter, it required $80,000 and received $221,135.00. We can expect to see her documentary in September 2015!

Joan is not new to the fashion world either. In the 1960's she did a two year stint at VOGUE starting as promotional copywriter and worked her way to associate feature editor. While at VOGUE she wrote her first novel Run, River that was published in 1963.

Photographed by Henry Clarke, Vogue, October 1972

She has a large list of literary accomplishments that spans non-fiction, fiction, screenplays and plays.

Seeing Joan reminded me that there ARE forward thinking, creative and unique people left in the world. Forward thinkers who are tired of the over played, over exposed visions of what I call "the herd". In the wake of the 'Kimye" VOGUE cover and subsequent Balmain ad campaign I was beginning to really wonder ... and worry!

Seeing Joan for Celine was the first of 3 mature and stylish ladies featured in fashion ad campaigns this week!!

The music legend Joni Mitchell at 71 for Saint Laurent

and the forever stylish Iris Afpel for Alexis Bittar

The house of LANVIN paved the way in 2012 when their models included then 62 year old Advanced Style Icon Tziporah Salamon

AND

Jacquie "Tajah" Murdock, 82

I hope this officially means the tide is turning and fashion houses are now looking past age, shape and size and looking for true character, wisdom and personality.

SHOP:

VINTAGE FROM CELINE, YSL & LANVIN

EVOLUTION VINTAGE

 Vintage Celine Wool Skirt ~ $200

 Vintage YSL Skirt - $250

 Vintage LANVIN Dotted Dress ~ $125

Style Knows No Age

I always hear women complain about getting older. We are all guilty of it. Looking in the mirror in disbelief at the newest grey hair or fine line. We use lotions, potions and plastic surgeons to help us avoid what is inevitable going to befall ALL of us no matter how many face lifts, botox injections and firming night creams we use. 

Thankfully there is a stylish silver lining to accompany those sexy silver hairs; Personal Style and Fashion.  A while ago I came across a blog called Advanced Style. It showcases and celebrates stylish women who are advanced in age but have sacrificed nothing in the way of Style.

A published book of the same name by author/blogger Ari Seth Cohen (2012) is a treat for the eyes and an inspiration to me. I want to be these women when I grow up. These ladies with their fabulous jewelry, haute hats, lush fabrics and have great tailors.

 100 and FABULOUS!

 Tziporah Salamon 

Stylish Couple

 A colouring book with some images from Advanced Style is set for release on September 3, 2013 (Pre-Order HERE) Celebrating Stylish Seniors. A perfect gift for a child (young and old) to enjoy and act as a teaching tool. Teaching respect and that Style knows no age!

A Lifetime of Adornment: Tziporah Salamon

 Artist: Justine Limpns Parish

In my last blog post I was totally inspired by the stylish Tziporah Salamon and her distinction between being stylish and fashionable.  She is a lady of bi-costal style and at the top of my list for one of the most intriguing women I have come across in a long time. Driven by her passion for self expression, her family history of fashion and her exquisite taste in fashion's past, she is an authentic style maven!

She was born 63 years ago in Israel to a Hungarian Jewish Dressmaker and Tailor her life seamed destined to be a stylish one. She is a permanent fixture on the New York style scene and today teaches women about the fine art of dressing!

She hosts intimate seminars where you can get up close and personal with her and her astounding clothing and textile collection. I would love a chance to have a peek at her hat collection alone, with over 200 pieces and counting. This unique opportunity is available on both coasts and this month in CALIFORNIA (see below for details).

What I love about her is an unwavering to her commitment to a lifetime of adornment. To making the world a more fabulous place, one carefully curated outfit at a time. She and I share many of the same philosophies, passions and respect for fashion. Tziporah has some serious style credentials as well. She has taught at Parsons School of Design in New York, worked as as stylist, a fashion consultant, sales associate for high end NY department stores, buyer and most recently a model for the house of Lanvin. 

2012

I'm sure she also also served as a muse to photographers and designers alike. She has been recently  featured in the book Advanced Style by Ari Seth Cohen, based on his popular BLOG where you can find a multitude of images of her various looks.  

She has certainly served as in inspiration to me. How she stylishly lives her life reinforces my belief that style has no bounds except those that surround your imagination and heart.

I had the sincere pleasure of asking her a few questions recently...

LG: Have you always been a collector of unique clothing and accessories? Or was their a period that your 'collection' started?

TS:   I have always dressed well with a unique style.  As my parents made all of my clothes from day one, I always wore clothes that no one else wore as they were custom-made for me.  This was especially true during my childhood.  In my teens, I bought distinctive clothing and was very sophisticated with a sense of style beyond my years.

My collection of antique clothing really started in 1979 when I moved back to NY to pursue fashion after living seven years in California.   I quickly realized that the way to go was vintage as the clothes are much better made, much more affordable and one of a kind.

LG: Both your mother and father were tailors, do you make any of your own clothing?

TS: No, I don't sew.  I never learned.  But I utilize dressmakers and tailors all the time and have many of my clothes made.

LG: Who or What inspires you?

TS: I get inspiration everywhere.  But some constant sources are: Matisse; Persian miniatures; ancient cultures; Islamic art; old movies; Art Deco; silent films; the films of Charlie Chaplin; art books; graphics; flowers

LG: What style advice can you pass along to my readers?

TS: Get to know your body.  Know what looks good on you.  Buy the best that your budget can afford.  Choose quality over quantity.  Avoid trends.  Go for classic, beautiful, well-made clothes.  Study carefully how others whose style you admire put themselves together.  Learn from the best.  Take risks.  Stretch yourself.  Have fun with clothes.  Look at dressing as an opportunity to express your unique individuality. Choose wisely.

Hat: Piers Atkinson

LG:  If you had to choose ONE look to define who you are, what would it be?

TS: That's a difficult one because I have several that express who I am.  Forced to choose one, it would have to be some fabulous hand-embroidered Chinese ensemble from the 20's or earlier.

LG: What is the most important lesson you have learned through fashion?

TS: Stay true to my vision. 

Fashion changes constantly.  

It's meant to. 

 Style is forever.

In California? Register for one of Tziporah's Style Seminars.

 *Los Angeles, Sunday June 23rd from 4-6

*San Francisco, Sunday, June 30th 5-7 

REGISTER HERE

Cost: $150

Learn more about her classes from this NY Magazine Article

My hats off you you Tziporah for always following your own version of FABULOUS!

Fashionable? or Stylish?

Salamon wears a tasseled cloud collar from the Qing Dynasty over a 1930s Chinese coat with a 1920s straw headband and earrings made of antique ivory-and-bone Chinese game pieces. Photo by Martin Scott Powell, martinscottpowell.com

Do you consider yourself to be Fashionable? or Stylish? or both? Do you recognize a distinction between the two?

I just read this article from Collectors Weekly on the most Stylish and fascinating woman, Tziporah Salamon. Shes a frequent style flyer on the Advanced Style Blog and a fascinating fixture riding around around New York City on her turquoise Bianchi bike.

She told Collector's Weekly "I’m not fashionable at all; I’m stylish. Fashionable is of the moment. Fashionable is the latest Prada, Gucci, or whatever is “in” this minute, and I rarely have what’s in-the-moment. In fact, when I buy new clothes, which I do, the more you can’t tell who it is, the better. I’ll never wear something with someone’s initials or name on it."

This woman is seriously a walking piece of art and SO INSPIRING! She is 63 and truly a style icon! I love how she is so serious about her looks and carefully curates each one as if she is curating a museum exhibition. She mused "I work on the outfits as I go along, and I don’t wear the outfit until it’s totally complete." (Source)

I look forward to an opportunity to chat with her directly about her affinity for fashion and feature her as a Style Maven! She said she has an 80:20 ratio for Vintage/Antique pieces to Current.  I love that the majority of her closet is Vintage, Unique pieces. We have the same philosophy at Evolution Vintage the re-styling of fashion's past!

Do you consider yourself Stylish? or Fashionable?

Explain in the comments below!