The Great and Glorious Mimi Weddell

I'm sad to announce, via Mimi Weddell's press agent, that the lovely hatted one left us on Sept 24th. Here is her obituary:

WEDDELL, Mimi Rogers took a final bow and removed her hat for the last time on September 24, 2009 following a short illness. The first of four children born to Helen Stevens and Harold Rogers, Mimi made her debut on February 15, 1915 in Williston, ND. After exploring numerous cities, Mimi decided to settle in New York with husband Richard Weddell, an executive with what was then known as RCA Victor.

Exceptionally gracious and world-wise, Mimi was a working mother in an age when mothers did not work, especially mothers living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. In her mid-sixties, upon the passing of her husband, she quit all her “day jobs” and with no children to support Mimi launched what would become an eclectic modeling and acting career. She loved the cameras and the lenses embraced her.

At 90 years old she was declared by New York Magazine as one of the “50 Most Beautiful New Yorkers”. She has appeared in over 25 movies,starting with the cult classic “Dracula’s Last Rites”, to “Hitch” and numerous television series including Sex in the City , Law and Order and practically all of the “soaps.”

Ms. Weddell was featured in Joyce Tenneson’s Book, Wise Women. She also found time to appear Off Broadway and traveled across country to join the casts of regional theatre groups. Mimi, who would never let her age get in the way of a casting call, appeared either on the cover or in editorial spreads in New York Magazine; Italian Vogue; Vogue and, of course, Vanity Fair. She worked with photographers, Richard Avedon,Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, Tim Walker, and Martin Hyers to name a few. Her lithe spirit was seen in many commercials and print ads for Juicy Couture, Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Nike ‘Just Do It’ campaign and others.

A few years back, Mimi caught the attention of Producer/Director Jyll Johnstone who decided Mimi’s remarkable life was a story worth telling. The result was the highly acclaimed 2008 documentary “Hats Off.” Mimi at last got top billing and in so doing launched the battle cry heard around the independent film industry: “90 is the New 40.”

Within the “industry,” Mimi was always known for her vast collection and endless array of hats. Her sense of style was legend. Grace Coddington, the Creative Director of Vogue Magazine remarked to Mimi's favorite fashion photographer, Tim Walker that she couldn't have styled Mimi any better than Mimi dresses herself.

Fashion Week, NYC 2009 and then some

A deep sigh of exhaustion now exudes from my entire being. We're not quite over, but here's the deal:

during Fashion Week, all of the models are in town, and , the dear editors schedule as many magazine shoots as they possibly can, to take advantage of that very fact. As a matter of fact, everyone is in town: the photogs, the models, the stylists, and every assistant not shipped off to Albuquerque for a shoot. This omni-presence seems to complicate matters. TV shows schedule bits involving fashion, the reality shows jump on board the fashion bandwagon, and yes, even the designers remember we're here and we can make fabulous hats for their collections.

So, a wrap up of just a few salient points from this mad, mad week and a half:

The Mad Fashionista requested hats by Ellen Christine to highlight her wardrobe for her tent presence. Somewhere along the way she upstaged Kathy Griffin, wearing one of our hats, as reported in WWD. Point for our side.

Chic Today got an article out of me for the Gareth Pugh installation at Mac/Milk. We love this designer, and felt right at home, as if it were the 1980's once again, in the middle of a lit cube.

Go read the article.

United Bamboo requested designs for their S/S 2010 collection. Andrew Richardson, a stylist with whom we have worked in the past, called and asked for a meeting. The meeting went well, the hats looked glorious, I was happy , they were happy. Pay attention to the prints in their collection, all designed inhouse by an artist. Very Joan Miro. Great dresses, and a brilliant jumpsuit.

People Magazine is shooting their 35th Anniversary issue. Some of our cocktail hats were called in by Jamie Grace for Iman, and Chanel Iman to wear........we''ll have to see what happens.

The upcoming tv series "Sherri" picked up two hats for an episode shot just this week.....I can say they're large hats, drama hats, great looking hats......beyond that, watch the show when it comes out.

The last project of the week is for "My Fair Wedding", a reality show that is staging a fashion runway show next week. They'll present a specially designed collection of gowns, with Ellen Christine Millinery headpieces. Watch and see for a David Tutera moment.........

Just a peek into our daily adventures.........just a tip of the iceberg......just a blink of the eye. Now, back to my customers.

Wear a hat, and keep me happy.

Request To Consider Willy DeVille For Induction In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Petition

Request To Consider Willy DeVille For Induction In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Petition

Spike the Shoe!

Wearing a cobbler’s apron crafted by Hermes, Beth Levine made magic in her studio. Beyond shoes, the Levines (Beth, and her husband, Herbert) transformed American made footwear of the prosaic loafer era into a glamourous panoply of humorous, chic, and innovative pieces that remain iconoclastic even today.

Think of Marilyn Monroe in her Springolators….the name Beth Levine is stamped indelibly onto that image.

A virtuoso of shoe-dom, Beth Levine as the design force behind the Herbert Levine brand, influenced European style with her elegant creations. This glorious technicolor book tracks the Levines from their first post War shoe factory to their last run in 1975. Ad campaigns, publicity shots, pages from Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar fashion editorials lend imaginative background to the myth and the reality of the Levine shoe.

Best of all are the artistically photographed portraits of Beth’s shoes- details captured, nuance explained. Able to make inroads in experimental and futuristic shapes and materials, the Levines’ body of work affords a broad spectrum of design research. Theatre boots, encrusted with stones a la 18th Century; modernistic Kabuki “flats” that give a floating sensation; clear vinyl; heels crafted from curls of leather; pumps covered in peacock feathers: this book is a veritable library of shoe history. Written with appropriate quotes and quips, with a dynamic forward by Harold Koda, of the Metropolitan Museum, this is one of the most important costume books in the field since “Mode in Shoes” first appeared.

Inside June Vogue Magazine

Vogue does a wedding, or rather, a wedding redux! "The Wedding Party", photograhed by Arthur Elgort, and styled by Grace Coddington re-enacts the wedding of model Sasha Pivovarova, to Igor Vishnyakov. With pages full of romantic frocks, and our headpieces, the "maids of honor" prance in a modern fanciful interpretation of a traditional wedding set of bridesmaids.

The inspiration for the Ellen Christine headpieces used came from the 1950's, popular with the mile-high hairdos of the era. The contemporary version lends itself to a casual but elegant anytime occasion, wrapped wire, leafy appliques, and silk flowers, tinted as in nature, to a subtle variation in tone.

HAT TALES EPISODES ARE BACK

News on Ellen Christine's myspace :

Any day it's not raining, new Hat tales episodes are posted online so come and tchek our myspace to see the new episodes !

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&channelID=120167646

Two French Students in New York

Depuis le début du mois de mai, deux étudiants français en commerce international ont intégré la boutique New Yorkaise, Ellen Christine Millinery.

Denise & Hervé travaillent au développement du marketing dans cet endroit en proie à la créativité de Chelsea.

Peut-être d'ailleur avez-vous déjà pu les apercevoir, coiffés de leurs chapeaux favoris, un gangster fedora pour l'un et une cloche des années 20 pour l'autre, arpentant les rues New Yorkaise avec une grosse boîte à chapeaux.

C'est maintenant après avoir pris leurs marques au sein de l'entreprise en réalisant une opération pour le May Madness du S3 group qu'ils s'attanquent au développement de la griffe au sein de la grosse pomme.

Objectif, ne plus voir une seule tête nue ou qui ne saurait pas où l'on trouve les chapeaux les plus extravagants et sophistiqués de New York.

Vous allez pouvoir retrouver en ligne plus d'épisode de " Hat Tales" et encore bien d'autres projets.

Alors restez bien attentifs, dans un mois ils nous quittent, peut-être nous réservent-ils encore des surprises qui sait ... ?

Translation :

Since the beginning of May, two French students who are studying International Trade in Jean Lurçat in Paris began their internship in the New York boutique, Ellen Christine Millinery.

Denise & Hervé are working on marketing development in this place full of Chelsea creativity. You may already have seen them wearing their favorite hats, a gangster fedora for one and a 1920’s cloche for the other, walking through the streets of New York City with a big hat box.

They have just finished the project for May Madness (S3 group) and now they are ready to attack their plan to further integrate the Ellen Christine label into the Big Apple.

The goal: no more naked heads and letting people know where to find the most extravagant and sophisticated hats of NY

You will find further episodes of “Hat Tales” online and more projects to come.

So pay attention, in one month they are leaving us so who knows what surprises they have in store?

Written by Hervé and Denise