The new exhibition at the Harlem based Museum of the City of New York , "Valentina: American Couture and the Cult of Celebrity" opened on the eve of New York Fashion Week. Valentina ( 1899-1989) dressed Greta Garbo, Katherine Hepburn and the Duchess of Windsor amongst others, was a pioneer of American couture and a glamourous celebrity in her own right.
I went along with my friend Mark Palmen to take a look...
Mary McFadden, fashion legend, who used to be a friend of Valentina's. Her ex-husband Kohle Yohannan wrote the book that accompanied the exhibition.
Publisist Mark Palmen , feeling right at home!
An award wining design of Valentina's, a sort of forerunner to a "Skort" ...
This divine evening snood with a jeweled propellor on the top from 1950 is called a "Gorget", would you believe.
I particularly like this grey dress with it's wrap details.
I really loved all the hats on display. This fur hood was designed for Garbo in the '40's.
The hats weren't just contained to the exhibition, everyone was wearing one!
