Janet Schwarz
and Ken Weber live Art and fashion in Dallas!
Who would deny that clothes can be art? Usually
however, they’re worn simply for comfort and convenience - something to keep us
warm or cool or modest, with a vague reference to our self perception, class loyalties
and financial status. High fashion is a public, theatrical art. What would it
be without an audience? Like all arts, it has its artists and its connoisseurs.
Connoisseurs start out with passion, evolve with study and acquire knowledge
and experience along the way. They are treasures because they can communicate directly
to us the passion. The two fashion mavens I admire most are Janet Schwarz of
Woodland Farms Vintage Clothing and Ken Weber of Vintage Martini, both in
Dallas but both enjoy an international clientele. When you know you’re going to
participate in history, these are the people you need to see.
Participating in large political events, whatever
else it is should be theatrically gratifying. These mini-dramas, while not
necessarily amusing, are often emotionally satisfying. How many times
have we seen on our wide screen TV a patriotic, socially acceptable outlet for
thrills and chills without the Dionysic excesses of sports events but every bit
as tribal? The audience is the “chorus” so everyone needs a costume.
Excepting the outrageous, obviously political, accoutrements;
i.e., buttons, funny hats, banners, sashes showing a proper commitment to the
tribe, ones clothes at political events should display a reassuring amount of
power (wealth) and smart elegance - in short, STYLE.
Since Leah and I don’t possess an inordinate amount
of either of the above, we need a stylist for these occasions, especially
political events of such magnitude that they transcend the merely political and
attain the level of the historical.
Such was the case with the April 23rd
dedication of the Bush library.
Fortunately for us, we are very connected. Janet and
Ken got us through in dazzling fashion, wearing dazzling fashions!
Janet, a beloved friend for over 30 years,
imperiously dismissed what we had packed for our excellent adventure in Dallas
as hopelessly inadequate. After finishing fantastic bottles of Tuscan red and
French Champagne, she led us off to her office/showroom. Bill, her husband, a director
of photography just returning from a shoot in Phoenix, Arizona with his usual good
humor and discretion stayed behind in
the house relaxing while Leah in her birthday suit was showered under a cascade
of couture and haute couture dresses, wraps, shoes, scarves, jackets, boleros
and skirts. What she and I wound up wearing to the library dedication has
already been described in the previous blog but that evening was the “Block
Party”. What to wear?
After lunch, Janet drove us to Vintage Martini. Leah
spent a couple of hours trying on dresses by Dolce and Gabanna, Dries Van
Noten, Hermes and shoes by Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin. That evening Leah wore a black leather bias-cut
skirt with western detail by Roberto Cavalli and carried a Marni grey python clutch
purse supplied by Vintage Martini. Back at Janet’s home, she finished off Leah’s
“Bar-B-Q chic” with a 1950’s bolero with bishop sleeves and hand painted gold
detailing. The necklace was a 1960’s silver setting and massive piece of
malachite attached to a ca. 1900 silver watch chain. I wore jeans, a Ted Baker shirt and my “goes
with everything” black eye patch.
If you need something for that special occasion, to
participate in historical events or simply to wear historically important and
artistically sublime clothes you can’t do better than Woodland Farms Vintage
Clothing or Vintage Martini.
