Jackie Rogers Photo: Marilyn Kirschner

The celebrated fashion designer Jackie Rogers once stated, “Age never occurs me. It’s a great thing unless it’s used against you.” Indeed, she looks decades younger than her 80 some odd years and has lead quite the life thus far.  So much so, that when she starts a sentence with, “Did I tell about?” (as she is known to do), you can bet you won’t fall asleep. It is guaranteed to be a doozy, and worth remembering.

Jackie Rogers (far right) with Coco Chanel 1962 photo by Douglas  Kirkland

She could tell you about her unconventional childhood (and while she admits to having been a tomboy, boy oh boy, did men ever chase her when she got older!) She could tell you about her relationships with princes and barons and famous stars like, Peter O’Toole and Sammy Davis Jr. (she had a firsthand glimpse of the carrying on, the drinking, the partying with the Rat Pack and said, ‘Let me out of here’! As crazy as I might have been, I wasn’t that crazy.”)

Jackie Rogers with Marcello Mastroianni on the set of 8 1/2

She could tell you about her experiences as a big band singer, a Studio 54 regular, a denizen of Rome’s la dolce vita, and a Hollywood starlet (she had a bit part in Fellini’s iconic movie “8 ½”). She could tell you about the time she was in Paris and bought her first Chanel suit (it was 1959 and it cost $600) and the time she was hired on the spot by Coco Chanel. She became her favorite mannequin and began working with her on the collections. There have even been countless rumors that the two had been lesbian lovers. When asked several years ago, if it was true, her answer was, “Absolutely…why not? If it turns people on…it will be good for my memoir. Hell, I’ve heard so many stories about myself it turns me on.”

Jackie Rogers (middle front row) as a Chanel model in the 60’s

She could tell you about her years as a menswear designer and regale you with stories about her innovative barbershop boutique, “Jackie Rogers for Men”, which was located on Madison Avenue and literally changed the concept of boutiques. It was lightyears ahead of its time and garnered clients such as Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson and Winthrop Rockefeller. She could tell you that she is the one who proposed the black and white wardrobe worn by John Travolta when he starred in “Saturday Night Fever”, and after encouragement from Bill Blass, she started designing womenswear.

Jackie Rogers ivory organza tie-front jacket

When a simple white organza blouse with a slightly ruffled collar worn by Lee Radziwell was featured on the cover of WWD in 1982, she gained instant name recognition. (She still sells versions of that blouse; they are made of silk satin face organza, range in price from $895 – $1695, and fall under the category of “Eternal Favorites” on her website, www.jackierogers.com). Among the rather eclectic list of women she has dressed are Jackie Kennedy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Condoleeza Rice, Courtney Love, Betty Catroux, Salma Hayek.

Chanel inspired wool multi colored tweed jacket Photo: Marilyn Kirschner

While she closed her women’s boutique (it was located on Madison Avenue) several years ago, she still has a shop on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach and on Job’s Lane in Southampton (it’s closed for the season) and she has a design studio on West 38th Street. Her demi-couture dresses and evening separates are timeless, seasonless , and unapologetically “European”. Well after all, she did cut her teeth at Chanel where she learned first-hand about personal style and fashion design. She proudly says that she’s the “only designer today who ever worked with the great Coco Chanel”. Like Coco, Jackie never uses darts, she cuts on the bias, and she cuts off grain.

Silver silk lame one shoulder pleated gown Photo: Marilyn Krischner

On Thursday, an intimate group that included customers and members of the press ( Lauren Day Roberts, decorator Dara Sowell, Sibylle Eschapasse who works for the U.N. and also writes a blog on style for the Epoch Times among them) were invited to Jackie’s fabulously chic Park Avenue apartment for mimosas, hors d’oeuvres, and an exclusive fashion presentation of “A Collection for all Seasons”. The dresses range in price from $1495 – $2895, jackets are $2895 – $3495, and gowns run from $3295 – $8000. This is the second time she has shown this way and she plans to repeat it again in the near future. A percentage of the sales go to ARF, Animal Relief Fund, and the animal lover’s two very attentive and very adorable dachshunds, followed her wherever she went. And yes, she even sells dog slings ($65- $95) on her website.

Yellow silk brocade jacket with stork print Photo: Marilyn Kirschner

Among the pieces that caught my eye were the group in yellow silk brocade printed with a wildlife design of a stork: there’s a jacket, a blazer (which Jackie was also wearing), a long tunic, and wide legged trousers); the fluid liquid silver pleated silk lame 1 shoulder long evening dress; a knee length knife pleated two piece black dress with a beautifully cut top and wide belt.

And, as an homage to Chanel, there was an elongated, fitted, multi colored wool tweed jacket with asymmetrical closure. While it was shown over wide legged ivory pants, I surmised that it would look as good over black velvet cigarette pants or jeans for that matter.

The post Oh, Jackie! appeared first on lookonline.

We’re about to end this year, begin another, and start yet one more fashion cycle. Right about now, after

seeing a few too many decorations, embellishments, tinsel, (too much of everything) etc., I feel the urge to

pare down and the idea of simplifying and streamlining is especially appealing. I begin each year with the

same resolution: buy less but buy better. And if you (like myself) found yourself in large department stores in

recent weeks, you can attest to the fact that there is too much crap around (with all due respect, who is buying

all this stuff anyway?). Quelle turnoff. But luckily, it makes it easier for me to stick to my resolutions.

If I had to write a book about fashion, the title would be, “It’s not that complicated” because, it really isn’t (with

age comes wisdom). Sure, you can complicate things if you want to, (the fashion business is all about getting

us to buy), but you don’t have to, and I’ve found it’s always the simplest things that are in the end, the best and

most satisfying (and that applies to fashion as well).

Left: Jacqueline Kennedy wearing YSL embracing black and  navy Right: Altuzarra Pre Fall 2015

Regardless of what is deemed in and out, I’m always on the hunt for distinctive wardrobe basics, classic yet

highly distinctive, played out in a palette of neutrals which focus on black, navy, gray, white, ivory, tan, with a

touch of red. Come to think of it, those are the same elements that comprised the wardrobe of Jacqueline

Kennedy, the legendary and enduring fashion legend known for her elegant restraint. Many women (of all

ages), continue to cite her (as well as Audrey Hepburn) as their style icon, and I am one of them. And it’s not

as though we don’t have a few things in common: our height (approximately 5’7”); we both went to Kenneth to

have our hair straightened; and, my mother, in response to my extravagant spending habits, would often ask,

“who do you think you are: Jackie Kennedy?” LOL.

Left: Jackie Kennedy in black t shirt and white jeans in  Capri Right: Louis Vuitton Spring 2015

But seriously, speaking of paring down and simplicity, Jacqueline’s look was quite minimal and fuss free, and

she embodied Leonardo da Vinci’s quote, “simplicity is the utmost sophistication”. This was illustrated in

countless images of her in Capri, wearing a simple black t shirt, white jeans, headscarf, and oversized sun

glasses (she was either bare foot or wearing flat thong sandals), and those in which a fitted black turtleneck

was the focal point of her outfit. These are looks that were stripped down to their bare bones, did not rely on

bells and whistles, and simply put, cannot be improved upon, even to this day.

Left: Jackie in leopard coat and hat with President Kennedy Right: Michael Kors Pre Fall 2015

When something’s good, it’s

always good.

It’s hard to find another woman who did simple quite like Jackie. She always looked effortlessly pulled

together, glamourous yet sporty, healthy, easy, relaxed, and comfortable. It was all about finding perfectly cut,

perfectly proportioned and utterly simplistic pieces, and having a sense of what is appropriate. She basically

eschewed prints and patterns in favor of monotone solids. When she did wear prints, they were classic Breton

striped t shirts (while sailing in Hyannis Port); iconic Pucci, Marimekko, or Lilly Pulitzer printed dresses (which

she wore in the summer or on vacation in warm weather locations), and Hermes scarves (which she wore on

her head).

Left: Jackie in black turtleneck and Cartier watch Right: Elizabeth and James Pre Fall 2015

Her signature accessories were her classic Cartier watch (she did wear pearls for certain occasions),

oversized sunglasses, flat boots, low heeled pumps (often by Roger Vivier), Jack Rogers and Bernardo flat

sandals, the chicest shoulder bags (Gucci, Hermes), and smart gold chained handbags. She embraced a

uniform that was comprised of perfect black turtlenecks, black t shirts, white jeans, button down shirts, skirt

suits with boxy jackets, tailored riding jackets, well cut trousers, simple shifts and sheaths, and unadorned,

regal, long sculptural evening columns. When she tapped into her bohemian side, suffice it to say, it was rich

gypsy all the way. Most importantly, she had an enviable collection of coats. She understood that a great coat

is the focal point of a look, and she was often seen out and about wearing one of her many trench coats, tautly

belted or high waisted and abbreviated double breasted a line coats, gold buttoned officer coats, pea coats,

sculptural capes. And then there was that famous leopard coat (many leopards lost their lives so that

countless women could follow her lead).

Left: Jacqueline Kennedy in belted Valentino trench and flat boots Right: Navy belted trench and flat boots Tomas Maier Pre Fall  2015

While time and time again, one can always find her influence within fashion, it seems especially the case

right now, since the fashion world is having (yet another) love affair with the 60’s and 70’s (the decades when

Jackie was in her style heyday). Coincidentally, the upcoming exhibition at the Museum at FIT

(www.fitnyc.edu), is entitled, “Yves Saint Laurent + Halston, Fashioning the 70’s”. It runs from February 6th to

April 18th, 2015, and will explore the two designers who “defined the sexy and glamorous fashion of the

197o’s”. (Jackie wore a great deal of Yves Saint Laurent, and Halston created the famous pillbox hat she wore

for the 1961 Inauguration).

Left: Jacqueline Kennedy in white Oleg Cassini gown Right: Valentino-Sala Bianca 2015

I myself am completely obsessed as of late. Following the Valentino Bianco 945 Collection shown at the

Whitney this past month (it was inspired by the all-white collection from 1968 from which Jackie selected the

dress she wore for her nuptials to Aristotle Onassis), I began searching the web for images of her. While most

of the pictures I found (dating back some 45- 55 years) were not necessarily new to me, when I saw them all

together, one after another, I was reminded of how fabulous, modern, hip, cool, and up to date she looked,

and I was struck by the way so many of the designs she wore, looked exactly like what I’ve been seeing on

recent runways. For those who like to point out that sure, everything comes back, but it comes back differently,

take a look at these pictures. While in some cases, her sense of style seems to have been used as a

reference or jumping off point, in others, it appears to be a doppelganger.

Left: Jacqueline Kennedy in belted short coat Right: Gucci Fall 2014

I think it’s important for women to find their own look, and stay true to that, and I hardly mean to imply that

everyone should strive to emulate Jacqueline Kennedy. But even if you don’t have the high profile, glamorous

lifestyle she lead, her limitless clothing allowance, or her natural beauty, it’s almost impossible to not look

good if you simply follow her lead. There’s a lot to be said about finding a uniform, simplifying, and paring

down.

The post In the Market Report: “Oh Jackie” appeared first on lookonline.