Rachel Crespin, photo by Avedon, back cover Sam Shahid’s tribute book.
Legendary fashion editor Rachel Crespin passed away at 100 on April 4. On Wednesday evening, about 30 guests gathered to honor Rachel and her long life at a memorial masterminded and organized by John Calcagno. John met Ray at Calvin Klein, then worked with her when she became a consultant for Ralph Lauren, and they became great friends.
Sara Diorazio on the terrace, 23 Beekman Place
The memorial was held at Rachel’s fabulous apartment, complete with a stunning garden within the Paul Rudolph Townhouse at 23 Beekman Place. The building is an architectural masterpiece and a designated New York City landmark. It is designed by fabled modernist architect Paul Rudolph, who transformed the 1860s townhouse by adding a remarkable steel-and-glass cantilevered penthouse that serves as a highly personal masterpiece of spatial complexity, light, and modern design.
Jeffrey Banks, Sam Shahid, Jeannette Chang, Andrea Quinn Robinson, Marilyn Kirschner
Considering Rachel’s enormous influence, it is not surprising that the guest list felt like a “Who’s Who” of fashion and design. Among the notable attendees, all with a deeply personal connection to Ray, were longtime cosmetics industry executive and former Vogue beauty editor Andrea Quinn Robinson, couturier Ralph Rucci, designer and author Jeffrey Banks, Vogue legend Tonne Goodman, and entrepreneur Gigi Mortimer, CEO of EyeJust and Ray’s assistant at Vogue in the 80s.
John Calcagno, Tonne Goodman, Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Also in attendance were Sara Diorazio, an artist and former assistant to Ray; Taki Wise, co-founder of the renowned Staley-Wise Gallery in New York City; and renowned art director Sam Shahid, who created a beautiful keepsake book for every guest at the celebration.
Inside Sam Shahid’s tribute to Ray Crespin
When Sam became the creative director of Calvin Klein’s in-house advertising agency in the early 1980s, he helped turn the brand into the internationally recognized name it remains today, with campaigns remembered for their clean yet sensational visuals.
Ralph Rucci, Wendy Goodman, Jeanette Chang, Photo by Marilyn Kirschner
For me, the gathering was a reunion with my Harper’s Bazaar family. There was Wendy Goodman, now Design Editor of New York Magazine, who arrived at Bazaar in 1973 under Carrie Donovan and served as Anna Wintour’s assistant.
John Calcagno speaking to guests, photo by Marilyn Kirschner
It was great to see former Bazaar editor Dorothy Schefer Faux, who was also a senior editor at Vogue and co-founder of gloss.com. And then there’s Jeanette Chang, who has the distinction of being Harper’s Bazaar’s first female publisher and vice president and now serves as International Editions Publisher at CR Book.
“Ray was a great, loyal friend with a wonderful sense of humor. She was always full of brilliant ideas, really creative, and incredibly funny up until her last days. She was unstoppable!” – John Calcagno.
From left, Gigi Mortimer, Ralph Rucci, Wendy Goodman, photo by Marilyn Kirschner
Guests toasted Rachel with a glass or two of champagne in the glorious garden before moving inside to hear short personal remembrances from John Calcagno, Jeffrey Banks, and Andrea Quinn Robinson. Gigi Mortimer credited Ray with her sense of style and taste and joked that while her maiden name was Newhard, Ray called her Newhouse; hence, she was treated very well at Vogue. I recollect my time as Ray’s assistant at Bazaar in 1971.
Rachel’s Men, inside Sam Shahid’s tribute book
Perhaps most touching was Andrea reciting favorite passages from Ray’s books, with white notepaper marking the spot. Ray was a voracious reader, surrounded by her beloved books until the end.
Rachel Crespin portrait by Scavullo, in Sam Shahid’s tribute book
In addition to Sam’s beautiful tribute, all guests could take a departing gift: one of Rachel’s books, left in a pile on the townhouse’s doorstep. I walked away with “Great American Short Stories… from Hawthorne to Hemingway,” which I plan to sink my teeth into during the summer!
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Marilyn, You look absolutely fabulous! And this Elsa Schiaparelli bag !!!! We have met a few times at different events.…
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