SO LONG, FAREWELL FROM THE FASHION WORLD

 Every year at this time, the media remembers the notable artists, musicians, theatre and movie stars, writers, scientists, statesman, sports stars, and newsmakers, which have passed on. Besides being noteworthy in their fields of notoriety, some have been contributors to the Fashion World.  So, I thought it would be nice to point out how these people made a difference in Fashion.

 From the world of Entertainment, Michael Jackson, 50, was truly the King of Pop. He made a great contribution to the Music, Choreography, Art, and Trail-Blazing in the Entertainment for the present, recently passed, and future Musical talents.  But besides this, Michael Jackson influenced Fashion style in stage and street presences. He also was a fashion inspiration for young Men’s Fashions, Great novelty jackets, Hair Styles, accessories in hats, gloves, belts, sunglasses, jewelry, and shoes.  Farrah Fawcett, 62 Actress, best known for “Charlie’s Angels”, contributed to the fashion world of pretty sexy casual clothing for the young modern woman and Fashion Hair Styles.  Her bubbly fashion looks were sought after by a lot of consumers that wanted her “Look”.  Patrick Swayze, 57, actor, best remembered for “Ghost”, “Dirty Dancing” and “To Fong Woo, Love Julie Newmar” brought to screen contemporary Men’s Fashions. In the 1950’s, Gale Storm, 87, Actress, was a household name in daytime TV comedies. Her “My Little Margie” Series centered on the modern working career woman of the 50’s. I am sure a lot of working women in Middle America, could relate to her fashion sense then. I was inspired. In the 1960’s in the Age of Freedoms, Mary Travers, 72, Singer of the folk trio, Peter, Paul, and Mary, brought to the limelight, the fashions of the ‘60s Trends. Merce Cunningham, 90, revolutionary modern dance choreographer and dancer, brought great dance movements to the stage.  From his achievements we get in Fashion, dance and performance fashion clothing and fabrications.  Bea Arthur, 86, Actress of TV’s comedies of Maude and the Golden Girls’s “Dorothy” fashionized the “mature and tall women’s fashion world. She gave the Middle-America mature women’s business, the importance of pants, tunics, layering vests ensembles with interesting combinations, plus a lot of laughs. And most recently, Brittany Murphy, 32, actress, that helped to deem the importance of the contemporary fashion market that inspired many young consumers to follow her Style.

 From the newsmakers, fashion designers paid attention to Corazon Aquino, 76, Former President of the Philippines that overthrew the repressive regime of Ferdinand and Imelda (excessive shoe Queen) Marcos. Being a “Kennedy” always gets visual press, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 88, Founder of the “Special Olympics” and humanity champion for the disabled, was always noted for her Style and Grace.

 From the “Arts”, Dominick Dunne, 83, author of crime stories, opened the doors of how we view fashion magazines for diversity, by writing articles for Vanity Fair Magazine.  Irving Penn, 92, a photographer great, brought new visual creativity to the fashions of Vogue Magazine.

 From the true Fashion biz, we lost this year, Naomi Sims, 61, First African –American fashion model that gave us “Black is Beautiful” movement.  Like some fashion retailers, the name of the store can be a family name like Dillards Department Stores after the  Dillards family of Little Rock, Arkansas.  Well, instead of Fishers, Donald Fisher, 81,   Co-Founder of an Apparel and Retail Giant, gave the fashion world, the GAP.  Sy Syms, 83,  brought to the men’s fashion world in 1959, a discount clothing chain, SYMS, a retailing trend that has become a big business in off price merchandising. Crystal Lee Sutton, 68, who fought for better pay and working conditions in the USA’s textile plants, was the person of interest for the “Norma Rae” Movie.

 Now, not so renown, we lost this year many peoples that were connected to the fashion business.  We lost Roy Colton and Harry Bernard, Fashion executive recruiters Colton Bernard, which help to place us in work spaces that would blossom our talent.  A friend of mine Jerry Kovacis, 67, was a math teacher, who wrote the math for computers. And look at computers and fashion today. True partners for business, info, and sales.

 We lost designers, whether it was clothing, hair, accessories, cosmetics, textiles, etc. We lost sales people from the manufacturers to sales people at retail. We lost great merchants, business execs that all love the gusto of the biz.

 In the biz, we all love it to the point that it is our heart and soul; will put countless hours, days, weeks, and years into our fashion passion. For our consumers, some of you may know us, but most not. Some who leave us may get a blurb that we contributed to a great biz, some not.  This notation is an overdue for Women’s Missy designer who was taken by cancer in August 2005 and not denoted for all her passion, talent, and fashion contribution. So, I want you to know if you own a garment from Laura Ashley, Koret of California, or Carole Little, passionate Designer Peggy Westgard, may have designed it.

 Fashion is all around us in many connections. And for all peoples that have contributed a benchmark on our fashion pages, I would like to close with “Thank you for your fashion Contribution. We will always remember fondly.”