![]() |
Carolina in her signature white shirt |
Amid the mess and moxie of New York Fashion Week Fall 2013, one lady did not disappoint. She still remained a lady. Carolina Herrera has been turning out refined looks for 33 years, since launching her fashion line in 1980.
![]() |
Lucy Liu's gown at the 2013 Golden Globes in typical ladylike Herrera style |
In the beginning she was treated as a marginally talented dilettante, a lady-who-lunched while keeping an eye on what other ladies-who-lunched were wearing. Her collections were at first grudgingly praised. Not only has her career stood the test of time, she became quite the business woman, developed a following and— perhaps greatest of all— garnered raves and respect from the fashion chroniclers. When I found out she is 74, after declaring "I'll have what(ever) she's having", I realized my praise (at least) is long overdue.
![]() |
Carolina in the jet-set days |
There was no reason Carolina Herrera needed to become a fashion designer. She was born into a wealthy, socially and politically active Venezuelan family. She married well twice, first to a Venezuelan landowner and has been married since 1968 to Reinaldo Herrera Guevara (a television personality and son of a marquis). She led a jet-set lifestyle for years and could undoubtedly have chosen her wardrobe from any of the world's top designers. What made her enter a business that doesn't suffer fools lightly?
Carolina became known for her elegance and style. She was thinking of starting a line of textiles when her friend Diana Vreeland, the legendary editor of Vogue, encouraged her to become a fashion designer. Although she began in a small way (selling exclusively in a New York City boutique), her looks sold and were eventually declared by the New York Times to be "elegant and worldly without ever being fussy". Not surprisingly each collection features a play on a particular textile theme. Today Carolina Herrera is a family business encompassing fragrance, a lifestyle brand and Carolina Herrera boutiques around the world.
![]() |
"Four daughters, 12 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and many, many shirts" |
Carolina is her own best model. She would like women to feel they too can be glamorous and elegant, yet prides herself that she can get ready for a ball in ten minutes. She fears women consider being called elegant to be old-fashioned but believes elegance is not an old fashioned idea.
Did I mention "Carolinia Herrera by Carolina Herrera" is my favorite perfume? I wear it so often people think it's Me. I'd like to think it's Her.
I loved reading your blog. I've loved her clothes since I can remember. It's wonderful to see a designer who creates beautiful and feminine things for a real woman, not just a young female stick figure.
ReplyDeleteI've always admired her elegant, non-fussy style. And Lucy Liu's gown is one of the best I've seen in ages.
ReplyDelete