style – style dispenser

It happened at a meeting with an acquaintance. We meet at my favourite bookstore, Assouline, London. After a quick tour of the interiors of the house, the spine of a book named Lee Radziwill, drew my attention immediately from a large bookshelf.

Processed with VSCOcam with s2 preset — Lee, the stylish mother with her kids.

I grabbed the hardback with no hesitation and purchased that evening. One of the reasons it hightened my curiosity was that she was married to Stanislaw Radziwill, who was a cousin of my great-grandmother. As a bonus it’s a tasteful journey through decades of great style, and an interesting historical account of a well-connected socialite during the JFK era. Flicking through the pages, you’ll discover the chronicle of Lee’s life, captured in photos from her private archives. Hanging out with her sister Jackie O., and surrounded by equally influential personalities such as Mick Jagger, Truman Capote, Rudolph Nureyev and Aristotle Onassis to name a few, helps propel Lee’s story to a truly inspirational read.

With Stas Radziwill. He was her first huband. She was his 3rd wife.

Young Lee hanging out with Mick Jagger in Montauk.

Aristotle Onassis. Lee’s brother in law. A very good companion.

It was Jane Birkin who made the Aran jumper famous worldwide. It looks to me like aviator sunglasses also owe her a credit!

Icon is not fashionista.
Of course it is not. An icon has their own style and approach to fashion.
An icon dresses up with confidence and this is where it all starts.
The trend. We owe to the icons these so-called trends. Yes, we do. Thanks to these idols we see their style re-imagined on the catwalk, reproduced in the glossy magazines, then later filtered to the high street as affordable items of desire.
Because of their timeless style pedigree we post via Instagram the photos of young Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, Jane Birkin, Anjelica Huston and many more. Why? Just look at the photos I’ve selected below and you’ll understand everything.
Does the concept of a chunky knit, oversized blazer, fisherman’s hat or a pair of flares sound a bit ‘deja vu’? What about ‘le smoking’? Well, God bless those who invented them and those icons who mastered it to an effortless statement.
And for that I do love fashion, or rather style to be frank.