@ FASHION WEEK WITH THE FORMER ASSISTANTS...

Ian MacKintosh

Director Robert Jason

Diana Wright Milkowski

backstage filming at Academy of Art University Student Show

We started filming for the EMPRESS of FASHION documentary on Friday night. It was a great way to start off filming -- interviewing my former co-workers from Eleanor Lambert Limited.

Coming to work each day was inspiring and exciting... I often say that we knew we were living history working for a legend like Miss Lambert. It was a very exciting time in all our lives -- we were all young, adventurous and our careers in New York were just beginning! For me, it was an honor to work with Ian Mackintosh and Diana Wright. It stuck us all that here we were at New York Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2011 shows speaking about our former boss who created the first Fashion Week in 1943!

Ian now works for the Academy of Art University of San Francisco -- they put on an incredible student show each season at New York Fashion Week and Diana Wright Milkowski is always right there alongside him making sure things go smoothly. Diana has written an incredibly funny book... details forthcoming upon approval by Diana!

Many times when we worked together back in the 1990s.... (gulp!) we would say... "Someone should tell Miss Lambert's incredible story..." So it was not lost on any of us that finally... we have begun to tell it -- and what better way than by those of us who worked with her every single day and learned her story firsthand!

I could never have started this project without the support of Ian and Diana who are truly magnificent people -- they are both funny and intelligent, smart and driven, and I am proud to say - my incredible friends -- they are a lot like Eleanor Lambert!

For additional photos from Friday's show, become a fan of EMPRESS of FASHION on Facebook by clicking here...

A very special thank you to our friend Robin Marchant for being part of our production team on Friday night and capturing the amazing images above! Thank you Robin! Log on to Robin's website to see more of her incredible work: www.robinmarchant.com

A special thanks to the entire Brainchild Films Production crew... Director Robert Jason, Sebastian Piras, Sulay Gonzalez and Lidia Jimenez-Vilabella!

HEAR HOW NY FASHION WEEK STARTED... LITERALLY!!

Eleanor Lambert

World War II helped turn the spotlight on American designers when Paris fashion was not available. Eleanor Lambert saw the absence of French couture as the perfect opportunity to organize American designers (many of whom, including Charles James, Adrian, and Claire McCardell, were among her clients) and start New York Press Week, a twice-yearly showing of designer collections for press and buyers and the model for what is now New York Fashion Week. Via Press Week, Lambert strengthened the American position in fashion and elevated American designers to a level at which their names were recognized and they could finally vie with French couture for attention. She gave American fashion credibility. Listen to this incredible audio -- The whole piece is AMAZING! Miss Lambert comes in around the three minute mark. The actual audio of Miss Lambert was recorded in 1943!!! AMAZING!

What a GREAT way to start off the Spring/Summer 2011 shows... NEW YORK FASHION WEEK has started... game on!

Special Thanks to: WNYC 93.9 FM for audio & Conde Nast Archive Blog

THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY PART 2

The Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County has a small exhibit right now of their Crawfordsville, Indiana native -- Eleanor Lambert. In May 2011 they will feature a large exhibition on the incredible life and contributions of Miss Lambert and they are planning on launching a yearly event to go along with it.

click here for more information on the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County.

THE CARNEGIE LIBRARY

Original Logo of The Carnegie Library of Crawfordsville Indiana

Exhibition Hall of the new Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County

Original rendering of The Carnegie Library

From 1902 to 2005 the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County, Indiana served as the Crawfordsville Public Library. Museum visitors are now able to view the building in its restored glory. The original floors containing mosaic tile from 1902 are visible on the 2nd level. (see original Carnegie logo above).

Owned and operated by the Crawfordsville District Public Library, the purpose of the Carnegie Museum is an interdisciplinary museum of Montgomery County and for the people of Montgomery County, Indiana. It contains history, art, science, and culture. The two-story museum houses six large galleries and a rotating exhibition schedule. Other galleries include the Business & Industry Gallery, which features both past and present businesses of the county. The Athens Gallery will focus on literature, learning, arts & culture, military and democracy. Other galleries cover Sports & Pop Culture, Montgomery County highlights, and Early History.

Now… would I be telling you all this just because Miss Lambert was from Crawfordsville, Indiana???

Images and information provided by The Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County.

THIS MONTH'S VANITY FAIR...

Comtesse Jacqueline de Ribes and Eleanor Lambert

The September issue of Vanity Fair has an incredible article entitled The Last Empress of Paris by Amy Fine Collins -- is a great read about the interesting and inspiring life of Jacqueline de Ribes. It should come as no surprise that Jacqueline de Ribes and Eleanor Lambert were great friends. The photo above of Comtesse de Ribes and Eleanor Lambert was included in the article. The September issue of Vanity Fair on newsstands right now is truly not to be missed -- it also includes Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed list - originated by Eleanor Lambert and given to Vanity Fair upon her death.

HALSTON: From the Videofashion Vault

Check out Miss Lambert around who appears at 0.27

special thanks to Videofashion.

PREVIEW...

lights.... (and photographer pit)

camera (crew)

action...

I am getting very excited to share with you the trailer for the upcoming ELEANOR LAMBERT: EMPRESS of FASHION documentary.

Above are three stills from the trailer captured by Brainchild Films.

I have spent many years working on this project to bring it to life and it is very exciting to share it with the readers of this blog. In the last month alone, I have been taken back by the incredible response from people all over the world! Besides the documentary receiving initial funding there are a few other pieces of the project coming together as well as some entirely unexpected things that have come my way that I will be able to share with you in the coming weeks...

Keep checking back... I will be posting the trailer in the next few days....

photo stills from ELEANOR LAMBERT: EMPRESS of FASHION trailer, courtesy of Brainchild Films.