Bettina Ballard's Busy Day

New York Fashion Week has ended and now the editors are on their way to London if they are not there already.  After that, they will cover fashion week in Milan and finally Paris. In March 1951, Life magazine featured an article about  Vogue fashion editor Bettina Ballard entitled Bettina's Busy Day that followed the editor around Paris during fashion week in February 1951.  What amazed me is that except for a few details and midnight photo sessions, the life of an editor hasn't changed much in 60 years. 

In the above photo, Bettina Ballard arrived at Balenciaga at 9:15am to select clothes while wearing a Balenciaga suit.  In the car are the coats and hats of the other fashion houses she will visit that day.

At 10:15am, she arrived for the Schiaparelli opening and wore a Schiaparelli coat over her Balenciaga suit.  She also greeted Bergdorf Goodman buyer Jessica Daube before finding her seat.

At Schiaparelli, Vogue editor Bettina Ballard sat next to Carmel Snow, the editor in chief of rival magazine Harper's Bazaar.  That definitely doesn't happen today!

After another change of clothes, she attended the Dior show wearing a black Dior suit.  She sat next to Michel de Brunhoff the editor of French Vogue.  There is also an ashtry next to the runway since everyone in those days smoked especially in Paris.

Bettina Ballard dined at the home of designer Jacques Fath with among others that included Duchesse de Brissac and Countess de Rosenberg.

Bettina in a belted hotel robe holds a morning conference in her room at 8:00am with photographer John Rawlings and Vogue assistants Babs Simpson and Mary Haas.

Designer clothing can be borrowed and sent around the world for photo shoots today but in 1951, night studio sessions were the only way clothes could be obtained from the fashion houses who also needed them to show buyers. At midnight, Bettina and photographer John Rawlings direct models at a shoot.

A photo taken in Paris.

In the studio at night, Bettina poses models in pale pleated shantung Fath dresses.  The photo was rushed into the March 1 issue of Vogue.

At 2:00am while most of today's editors might be at a party, Bettina checks photos taken during the day and eats a late dinner.  She will decide what to send to Vogue editor Jessica Daves in New York and then will finally go to bed. In 1960, Bettina Ballard published a memoire In My Fashion whichfurther chronicles her life in fashion.  It's one of the only vintage books I don't own but I can't wait to read it!  Bon Weekend!

Chic at Fashion Week

I was telling someone recently that I will never be photographed by one of the fashion week street photographers.  I don't wear "fierce" shoes as my friend Jessica calls them or crazy outfits but that doesn't mean I can't photograph some of them.  I recognized French style blogger Garance Doré when I was leaving the tents at Lincoln Center Sunday and couldn't resist taking her photo. I also couldn't resist photographing some of my favorite editors before, during and after the Oscar de la Renta show Wednesday. 

The editors at Vogue including Tonne Goodman with her back to me always look simple and chic unlike all the overly dressed up and accessorized fashion bloggers this week.

How could I not take a photo of the most famous red hair in fashion?!

Hamish Bowles and Anna Wintour chat before Oscar de la Renta.  She only wears the dark sunglasses during the fashion shows.

Susan Tabak stopped Vogue Nippon editor Anna Dello Russo for her own photo op.

Only Anna can get away with a headdress of giant gold cherries!

I love the flash of red as she walked away.

I also caught fashion blogger Hanneli Mustaparta shooting Dani Stahl of Nylon magazine on the street today. It seems that everywhere you look this fashion week there is a blogger with a camera. Cathy Horyn of The New York Times had an interesting opinion on this phenomenon in More Than Meets the iPhone Lens.  But as we in the blogging world know, if you don't photograph it or tweet about it, it never happened.

Dear Vogue,

Dear Vogue,

I understand that celebrities on the cover of magazines are the norm now but that doesn't mean that I want to see a sullen faced teenager staring back at me.  Vogue has always featured the best of the best in fashion, design, photography, and art.  It made models like Suzy Parker, Twiggy, Lauren Hutton, and Veruschka household names.  I think I speak for many when I say, perhaps it's time to return to models on covers instead of celebrities who just have a movie to promote.  I can't think of a better magazine to lead the way than Vogue so hope you'll consider this suggestion. 

Sincerely,

Habitually Chic

At Home with Lauren Santo Domingo

Lauren Santo Domingo is an editor at Vogue and one of New York's chicest fashionistas.  When she began her series APT with LSD on Vogue.com, I was keeping my fingers crossed that she would let us into her own apartment.  It's an eclectic mix of pieces that seem to have been collected during her travels.  I'm very jealous of her Willy Rizzo coffee table and Lalanne hippo bar.  She and her husband Andrés are expecting their first child in April, a great birthday month if I do say so myself, and will be transitioning the room above into a nursery.  I'm sure it will be a very chic room for a very chic baby!  My only criticism of the APT with LSD series is the photography.  I really wish Lauren had someone working with her who knows how to shoot interiors.  I feel like this apartment is probably even better in person. But I still enjoyed the peek!

Photos by Claiborne Swanson Frank

Chic at Work

Sometimes I miss working in an office.  I used to think up more creative outfits because I didn't want to bore my co-workers by wearing the same thing each week.  Since the same people don't see me everyday now, I feel like my outfits have gotten a little boring.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to restyle my wardrobe and take more risks.  That's why I like Vogue's new online feature, Five Days, Five Looks.  Who better to learn from than those who work at the chicest magazine.  Senior Accessories Editor, Filipa Fino, is up this week and I love her classic style with pops of colorful accessories.  She's definitely my new style idol. I will definitely be emulating her look after we dig out from the blizzard.  Until then, I hope no one sees what I'm wearing!  Happy New Year!

Photos by Marko MacPherson

Winter in the Adirondacks

I was thinking how nice it would be to post a something snowy on this first day of winter and magically, the perfect house came to me.  APT with LSD on Vogue.com toured the family home of Amanda Brooks in the Adirondacks.  Looks like a beautiful place to spend Christmas.  For all the details, check out the full story online and don't miss Amanda's I Love Your Style website.  I'm still sick and definitely going back to bed! Later Skaters!

Photos by Claiborne Swanson Frank

Lauren's Luggage

The one apartment in New York I am dying to see belongs to Lauren and Andrés Santo Domingo. The January 2011 issue of Vogue published the photo above which has me even more intrigued.  I heard that Jacques Grange helped decorate it and another article mentions her Hippo bar from Lalannes.  Maybe more photos of her home will appear as she promotes her new online trunk show Moda Operandi.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

A Vision in Vogue

I haven't seen Black Swan yet but the buzz on Twitter seems to be good so far, although they say it's a bit disturbing.  Vogue has shot one of the stars of the film, Natalie Portman, and continued the ballet theme in Spreading her Wings.  The January 2011 cover does look a little too similar to her May 2002 Vogue cover but I guess if it's not broke, why fix it.  Happy Reading!

Photos by Peter Lindbergh