The New Sartorialist Contest!!
So the recent Diana Vreeland posts have really been a teaser for the next contest.
For those of you unfamiliar, Diana Vreeland was a fashion editor and writer at Harper's Bazaar from 1937-1963 and later the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue from 1963-1971, after her editorial career she became a consultant to The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
If you haven't yet, you have to find a copy of DV, Diana Vreeland's autobiography, written in 1984. For fashion fans it is a fantastic glimpse of real chic in the last century, . It was the first book I read when I moved to New York twenty years ago and it helped me see fashion and Manhattan in a fantastic new light.
Ms. Vreeland was also the inspiration for the character of Maggie Prescott in Fred Astaire's ( as Richard Avedon) movie Funny Face. Remember the famous "Think Pink!" musical number...pure DV!
She was also the creator of the wildly popular "Why don't you..." column, which she began for Harper's Bazzar in 1937. I love the complete whimsy of these suggestions, they seem over-the-top and crazy, but at the same time they kinda/sorta make sense. What you have to remember is that the suggestions were based in reality, but it was Diana Vreeland's reality!
So, the idea of this contest is to update "Why don't you..." with a modern twist.
Maybe focus on the things that were not around at Ms. Vreelands time; the iPhone, Internet or the modern-day celebrity or just something in everyday modern life that we can all relate to but just a little crazier.....surprise us!
VERY IMPORTANT!
Submissions must be sent to sartorialistvreeland@gmail.com, that is the only way I can confirm the winner and know where to send the Celine book.
Please put "Vreeland Contest" in the subject line.
I will post the top submissions on the blog.
The contest will be open fron now until April 12th.
The contest will be open fron now until April 12th.
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wildflower said ... (4:45 PM) :
post a commentI love Diana Vreeland and use the sentense 'pink is the navy blue of India' often. It's always great to revisit fashion icons
What a wonderful contest!
I actually write a Friday post every week on my blog called "Why Don't You..." with suggestions for the weekend.
I own, I believe, three DV books and Funny Face is, in my opinion, the best Hepburn movie. I love "Think Pink" but "Ring A Them Bells" is even better :-)
I will have to think long and hard about my submission, and I can't wait to read everyone's ideas.
fantastic idea, it is really so interesting to try to capture a current moment/culture/attitude in the style of a past icon-- it makes you think in terms of both the past and present.
I look forward to seeing where people take this!
Fondly,
the Improper
http://www.improperopera.com/
DV is a great book - I love her fascinating train of thought all through it - she seems like she was never a dull moment to know.
As an Indian, in The Fashion Industry, echo "Pink is the navy blue of India". She should have added:...."and Crimson the Black of India"
She also influenced Grayson Hall's character in the fabulously ahead-of-its-time film by William Klein, Qui etes-vous Polly Maggoo?!
is there a prize?
I had no idea she was the inspiration for the funny face character! Wow, learn something new everyday!
Cool contest! :)
yes yes yes, I'm still love your blog!
agneta, a swedish one ;)
She reminds me of Coco Chanel...
ugh! read this yesterday and had a great one the moment between sleep and awakeness this afternoon and of course completely forgot about it after waking up...
Such a lovely lady... I'm a fan of Ms. Vreeland and her sense of style but I didn't know she inspired the character in 'Funny Face'! (Which I haven't actually watched but I should, as I'm now studying musicals in cinema...) Thanks.... :)
Revisionist History: The true inspiration for the Funny Face character was not Diana Vreeland but actually the legendary Carmel Snow, the late great editor in chief of Harpers Bazaar. Vreeland was the fashion editor under Snow. The lead in Funny Face was dressed identically to Carmel Snow (pill box hat et coiffure) as was her offices french style writing desk. Carmel Snow was the great champion of Bazaars' two creative forces: Avedon and Brodovitch (Avery and Dovtich in F.F.) Vreeland's autobiography "DV." is a great read but the voice of the character from Funny Face is totally Mrs.Snow. Treat yourself and invest in a rare copy of her autobiography "The World of Carmel Snow" and darling... you will simply.... die!
Great idea for a competition. I read her book when I was about 14 and devoured every sentance.
She appeared in the book which I bought today.
I was surprised very much.
She is very wonderful
What a glorious idea. Coincidentally, I took my well-worn copy of DV to the NYC DMV yesterday in order to pass the time as pleasantly as possible. Worked like a charm. Also, this is one of my favorite DV quotes...something I think is exemplified in this blog:
"A new dress doesn't get you anywhere; it's the life you're living in the dress, and the sort of life you had lived before, and what you will do in it later."
I am so very sorry to say that the Kay Thompson character in" Funny Face" was inspired by Carmel Snow and not Darling Diana Vreeland.
naseiro
Do you mean the DV book, Allure (pub. by Doubleday about 20+ yrs. ago)? Or is there another book (I obviously don't know about!)? Terry
DV is one of my favourite fashion biographies! i first read it at 18 and again many times after that - so inspiring - might have to pull my treasured copy out and have another read!
To truly understand Mrs. Vreeland, one needs to read Eleanor Dwight's biography, Diana Vreeland.
Surprisingly, there are some similarities with the main character in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
Could it be that the same personality “type” inhabits the editor’s throne?
the video u¡is very beautiful!!
I love this woman. She was the first to wear bright red nail lacquer as she called it, got her first little bottle straight from Charles Revson. She was the first to wear sandals as a part of everyday life and mix them up with her chic outfits. She is my favorite, because she took the seemingly mondaine fashion piece, whatever it was, and always turned it into something really special. This is the gift of the true fashionista! I love the pictures of her wearing her Gaucho hats with the flower tucked behind her ear, fabulous.
the video u¡is very beautiful!!
"Ms. Vreeland was also the inspiration for the character of Maggie Prescott in the movie Funny Face."
Advanced trivia: the part of Maggie Prescott was played by Kay Thompsom who also wrote the divine Eloise books.
I have to tell you, your pics really inspire me! I look forward to them! I live in L.A and wished you would come by soon and take some pics here too. Your pics take me to Italy, Australia, and Moscow and I Thank you for you that. I am off to find D.V's book! Muchas Gracias! Merci!