Fashion designers, editors, and publicists tend to live pretty well, which might explain why magazines devote entire issues to people in the fashion biz. Take Hamish Bowles, for example. Do we not just die over his homes? I get heart palpitations when I pore over photos of his chic apartments. There is a part of me that secretly hopes that we are very distantly related (my English ancestors' surname was "Bowles" before it became Americanized to "Boles"); if that were the case, then perhaps some of his style genes might be lurking somewhere inside of me.
What really interests me are the homes of fashion people from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. Because this was an era in which women's fashion was noted for its elegance and propriety, the designers' homes tended to reflect the style of their clothing...and that of their clients. From what I've seen, it seems that these designers favored a look that was European in flavor and sumptuous in its use of fabrics and gleaming surfaces. The look was super polished, much like their frocks.
I've decided to feature a few of these homes this week, starting with the New York apartment of Mainbocher, the American couturier. I know that I've shown these images before, but it's a home that still makes me weak in the knees. Mirror, gilt, animal prints, silk cushions, gold lampshades, and a plethora of French furniture- it's a home fitting for the man who once proclaimed that he was the "Rolls-Royce of the fashion trade."
In the next few days, the abodes of Norman Norell and Ira S.V. Patcevitch will guest star. While Patcevitch wasn't a designer, he was Chairman of Conde Nast, and their magazines certainly featured a lot of fashion.
This was one end of the living room, while the other is shown at top in color. I'm sure this was more of a "nighttime" apartment, which would make sense as Mainbocher probably spent most of his days working hard to be the Rolls-Royce of the fashion business.
And this is the bedroom. It looks very much like the living room with its animal skin rugs, mirrored walls, and antiques. If I had a bedroom like this, I might never leave. You've got a bed, a sitting area, a fireplace, and glam surroundings. What more do you need?
(All images from House & Garden, 1948 issue)