dual personalities

Hubert de Givenchy, the French couturier, died  last Saturday. He will always be associated with his muse Audrey Hepburn and for designing chic, but ladylike, fashions.

Coincidentally, when daughter #1 was home for a night last week, we watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s (for the umpteenth time) and once again marveled at how great AH looks in this movie. That orange coat!

They were a great team.

Funnily enough, the NYT obit actually mentioned that Hubert was “a devout Protestant,” who “regarded his talents as a gift from God.” In 2007 “he told Women’s Wear Daily: ‘Balenciaga was my religion. Since I’m a believer, for me, there’s Balenciaga, and the good Lord.’”

Indeed, there was more to Hubert de Givenchy, and Audrey Hepburn too, than fashion. And we should remember that.

Also this was interesting. It reminded me of going to the fabric department in several department stores to look at the pattern books with my mother. We would look at the patterns slowly page by page and finally choose one. Then we’d pick out the fabric and a zipper if the pattern called for one. She made a lot of clothes for me. She saved money by making my clothes, but it was also a creative outlet for a very creative woman without many outlets. I think she enjoyed making clothes for me. I enjoyed wearing them and was proud of them.  If there were girls at my school who made snide remarks regarding my “homemade” fashions, I thought at the time that they could go to hell, and I still do. They weren’t just judging me, after all, they were judging my mother.

She always said that all the most expensive haute couture clothes were handmade. And she was right.

Into paradise may the angels lead thee. At your coming may the martyrs receive thee, and bring thee into the holy city Jerusalem. 

*Matthew 5: 16